ABSTRACT
The purpose of the present study is to assess the effect of aging on left ventricular filling function and the relation between Doppler parameters of LV filling and radius/thickness ratio in an normal population and in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. We underwent M-mode echocardiography and pulsed Doppler measurement of the LV inflow in 123 normal controls and 78 hypertensive patinets with LVH. The results were as follows; 1) In hypertensive patients with LVH, the peak early velocity(60.9+/-13.5cm/sec)was significantly decreased, and the peak atrial velocity(78.9+/-19.6cm/sec)was significantly increased than that in normal controls(78.1+/-15.7cm/sec, 60.2+/-13.1cm/sec, P<0.005, respectively). 2) In the normal controls, peak early velocity correlated well with age(r=-0.388, -0.595, P<0.005, respectively), but not with radius/thickness ratio. 3) In the hypertensive patients with LVH, peak early velocity and the ratio of early to atrial velocity correlated with redius/thickness ratio (r=0.274 P<0.05, r=0.367 P<0.005, respectively), but not with age. In conclusion early LV diastolic filling is reduced and systolic is augmented, probably reflecting alteration in myocardial siffness with normal aging, whereas in chronic LVH, changes in radius/thickness ratio is more important determinants of ventricular compliance, overriding the effects of age.