Stress-induced hypercontractility in patients with hypertension: an interesting imaging finding.

Excessive sympathetic activity and stress-induced LV hypercontractility may be detected in hypertensives or hypertensive LV hypertrophy. Recent quantitative data support that hypertensive patients may be associated with stress-induced LV hypercontractility. Stress-induced hypercontractility may also be related to basal LV cavity obliteration and dynamic LV outflow tract obstruction in hypertensives. In contrast to LV cavity dilation, stress-induced LV cavity obliteration may be associated with favorable outcome, however it has not been completely elucidated. Hypertensives with dynamic LVOT obstruction may clinically present with acute heart failure and normal systolic function. LV contractility may change and evaluation of LV geometry, contractility and volume by imaging techniques may be important in disease progression. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.