Comprehensive assessment of structural and functional abnormalities of the heart in COPD

The article presents the results of comprehensive assessment of structural abnormalities and functional impairment of the heart in COPD patients with and without pulmonary hypertension. Remodeling of the right heart chambers in COPD was registered at the early stages before clinical and echocardiographic findings of pulmonary hypertension. Heart rate variability was related to increased levels of natriuretic peptide and structural-functional abnormalities of the heart.