Patterns of left ventricular geometry and the transition to congestive heart failure with preserved versus depressed ejection fraction

Analysis of cross-sectional and follow up clinical studies, of hypertensive patients with the different left ventricular geometric patterns, provide plausible explanations for the transition from hypertensive heart disease to the two distinct phenotypes of systolic and diastolic congestive heart failure. According to the LIFE study treated-uncomplicated patients, with normal ventricular geometry (12%), concentric remodeling (11 %) and concentric hypertrophy (34 %), may evolve to the eccentric hypertrophy pattern. Patients with the eccentric hypertrophy pattern have selective sympathetic activation and progressive enlargement of the left ventricular cavity with thinning of its walls. This pattern goes on to a stage of systolic dysfunction with diminished ejection fraction and enhanced degradation of the collagen matrix. On the other hand, patients with the concentric hypertrophy pattern have predominant activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and progressive shrinking of the left ventricular cavity with thickening of its walls. This pattern usually precedes the stage of diastolic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, impairment of relaxation and increased deposition of collagen in the myocardial interstitium. Thus, ventricular remodeling preceding diastolic heart failure is opposite to that of hypertensive patients who go on to develop systolic heart failure.