Prevalence and Factors Associated with Diastolic Dysfunction of Left Ventricle in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Essential Hypertension

Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension causes chronic pressure overload on the left ventricle, and impaired ventricular relaxation (diastolic dysfunction) is often the first clinically silent cardiac complication of this process. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Doppler-echocardiographically diagnosed left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and to identify the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with LVDD in patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension. Methods & Material: This cross-sectional analytical study was carried out at the Department of Cardiology, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, Mymensingh, Bangladesh from July 2025 to June 2026 on 80 patients with newly diagnosed, treatment-naive essential hypertension. Demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were collected, and all patients had a full Doppler transthoracic echocardiogram. Echocardiographic recommendations were followed to grade the diastolic function. Data were entered and analyzed on SPSS version 26.0. Results: LVDD was found in 45% of the participants, most frequently Grade I (impaired relaxation) (69.4%), followed by Grade II (pseudonormal filling) (25.0%) and Grade III (restrictive filling) (5.6%). Age ≥50 years (adjusted OR 2.71), overweight/obese (adjusted OR 2.43), Stage 2 hypertension (adjusted OR 2.89), and left ventricular hypertrophy (adjusted OR 3.74) were independently associated with LVDD (p<0.05 for all). Dyslipidemia was important on univariable analysis but not as an independent predictor. Conclusion: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was present in almost half of patients with newly diagnosed essential hypertension with echocardiographic evidence. Older age, overweight /obesity, higher stage of hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy were independent predictors which further emphasizes the need for early echocardiographic screening and risk factor modification at the time of hypertension diagnosis.