Diastolic regional wall motion asynchrony in patients with hypertension.

Left ventricular regional wall motion was analyzed from angiographic ventriculograms in 51 subjects, 18 of these served as controls, 10 were hypertensive with coronary artery disease, and 23 had a history of hypertension without coronary artery disease. All normal subjects showed normal synchronous wall motion throughout the cardiac cycle. In 10 patients with coronary artery disease and hypertension at the time of catheterization, the major determinant of regional abnormality was coronary artery lesion (sensitivity = 83%, specificity = 95%). Patients who had a history of hypertension and no ischemic disease, were further subdivided into three groups, 4 who were normotensive, 4 with borderline pressures and 15 hypertensive at the time of cardiac catheterization. All normotensive, 3 of the borderline hypertensive, as well as one hypertensive (without coronary artery disease) patients showed normal wall motion. In one patient with borderline pressure and 14 of 15 hypertensive patients diastolic regional asynchrony was detected. Apical region was most commonly affected in these patients. This suggests the importance of treating hypertension in patients and the possible reversibility of abnormal wall motion with treatment.