Echokardiograficzna ocena budowy i czynnoŚci rozkurczowej prawej komory serca u chorych z nadwagą i nadciśnieniem tętniczym

The accelerated development of the left ventricular dysfunction due to increased preload and afterload is often observed in patients with systemic hypertension and concurrent overweight/obesity. Right ventricle is also influenced by systemic hypertension. The aim of the study was the echocardiographic assessment of the right ventricular structure and diastolic function in patients with systemic hypertension and overweight. The study group consisted of 31 subjects with untreated, mild to moderate systemic hypertension and overweight defined as a body mass index (BMI) above 26kg/m2. Right ventricular diastolic diameter and right ventricular wall thickness were similar in study and control groups. In comparison with the controls patients with overweight demonstrated significantly shortened acceleration time of systolic flow in pulmonary artery, increased mean pulmonary artery pressure and decreased early to late filling wave velocity time integrals. These findings indicate that systemic hypertension associated with obesity does not cause additional morphological changes of the right ventricle compared to hypertensives with normal weight. Impaired right ventricular diastolic filling and pulmonary artery systolic flow indicate the presence of mild right ventricular dysfunction in subjects with overweight, however, diastolic and systolic parameters are within normal range both in patients with normal weight and overweight.