Left ventricular myocardial dysfunction in young and middle-aged ischemic stroke patients: the Norwegian stroke in the young study

Background: Hypertension is highly prevalent in ischemic stroke patients, but less is known about its impact on subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in such patients. Methods: Conventional and speckle tracking echocardiography was performed in 276 young (15–44 years) and middle-aged (45–60 years) ischemic stroke patients (mean age 50 ± 9 years, 66% men). Hypertension was defined as a history of hypertension, use of antihypertensive medications, persistently elevated blood pressure (BP) during hospitalization or elevated clinic BP (≥140/90 mmHg) and ambulatory BP (≥130/80 mmHg) at follow-up visits. LV myocardial dysfunction was assessed by peak systolic global longitudinal (GLS) and circumferential strain (GCS). Results: Hypertension was present in 68% of patients and associated with higher age, BMI and LV mass, male sex and the presence of diabetes (all P 
Source: Journal of Hypertension - Category: Cardiology Tags: ORIGINAL PAPERS: Heart Source Type: research