Left Ventricular Strain in Patients with Hypertensive Heart Disease and Normal Ejection Fraction Assessed by Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Abstract

Background: Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Cardiac changes such as impaired left ventricular (LV) function, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and heart failure are consequences of chronic exposure to elevated blood pressure. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a sensitive method for detecting early regional and global myocardial dysfunction missed in asymptomatic patients with cardiovascular disease by conventional modalities.