Myocardial performance index in patients with dipper and nondipper hypertension

Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between left ventricular (LV) myocardial performance index (MPI) and nondipper pattern in hypertensive patients. Methods Between June 2012 and November 2012, patients admitted to the Cardiology Department of Duzce University Faculty of Medicine and diagnosed previously with essential hypertension were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups, nondippers and dippers, using ambulatory blood pressure measurement. All patients were evaluated by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. LV MPI was calculated from tissue Doppler imaging parameters. Results There was no significant difference between the two groups in the proportion of each class of antihypertensive medications. Dippers and nondippers had similar age, BMI, lipid profiles, and smoking status. The MPI value was significantly higher in nondippers than in dippers, and was correlated negatively with the rate of systolic and diastolic blood pressure fall at night (P < 0.001). Conclusion Our study showed that MPI is disturbed in patients with nondipper hypertension. MPI may be used in the diagnosis and follow-up of global LV dysfunction in patients with a nondipper pattern, but further prospective studies are needed. (C) 2014 Wolters Kluwer Health vertical bar Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.