EVALUATION OF AORTIC ELASTICITY ON THE PRIMARY HYPERTENSIVES BY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Hypertension, affecting directly cardiovascular structure and function, reduces aortic elasticity, which leads to early reflect wave in central aortic. Studying on aortic elasticity in the primary hypertensives by echocardiography contributes to evaluate cardiovascular changes. Aims: was to estimate the indexes of aortic elasticity in the primary hypertensives and the correlation between them and left ventricular mass index. Subjects and Methods: this study was carried on 30 primary hypertensives, mean age: 47,43 ± 5,83 and compared with normotensive control group. They are all under echocardiography to measure systolic aortic diameter and diastolic aortic diameter, left ventricular mass, and left ventricular mass index. Then, assess the indexes such as: aortic strain, aortic stiffness, aortic distensibility and correlation between them and left ventricular mass index. Results: Aortic stiffness is significantly higher and aortic strain and aortic distensibility are significantly lower in the hypertensives than the normotensive control group (p< 0,05). There are negative correlation between left ventricular mass index and both aortic strain and aortic distensibility. In contrast, there is positive correlation between aortic stiffness and left ventricular mass index (p < 0,05). Conclusion: Aortic elasticity in the primary hypertensives decreases, which has repercussions on left ventricular mass, so it is a predictor of cardiovascular risk factors.