Ventricular functions, aortic elastic properties, and endothelial functions in patients with hypertensive response to treadmill exercise testing

Authors: RİFAT ERALP ULUSOY, MEHMET YOKUŞOĞLU, OBEN BAYSAN, ATA KIRILMAZ, FETHİ KILIÇASLAN, BEKİR SITKI CEBECİ

Abstract: Hypertensive response to treadmill exercise testing (TET) is an early marker of future development of hypertension. In this cross-sectional, case-control study we evaluated the relationship of hypertensive response to TET with aortic elastic properties, endothelial functions, and left ventricular functions. Materials and methods: The study group comprised 33 individuals who underwent TET with suspicion of myocardial ischemia, but no evidence of ischemia and with hypertensive response to TET, and the control group comprised 29 age- and gender-matched subjects. All participants underwent echocardiographic examination, brachial artery ultrasonography, and aortic ultrasonography for the assessment of left ventricular functions, endothelial functions by determining brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation and trinitroglycerine-mediated dilatation, and aortic elastic properties by measuring the aortic diameter 3 cm proximal to the aortic valve. Results: There was no difference between the groups in terms of echocardiographic left ventricular functions and baseline brachial artery diameters. Flow mediated dilatation showed 46% impairment in the study group compared with control (P < 0.05). Endothelium-independent trinitroglycerine dilatation did not differ in the groups (P > 0.05). Aortic elastic properties demonstrated impairment in the study group compared to the controls. Conclusion: Flow mediated dilatation assessed with ultrasonography and echocardiographic variables demonstrated impairment for both endothelial function and aortic elastic properties in the study group in terms of early vascular development of atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Aortic elastic properties, endothelial function, treadmill exercise test, flow mediated dilation

Full Text: PDF