PHENOTYPING THE HYPERTENSIVE HEART

Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Universitätsklinikum Ulm; Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca; Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute; Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne

Arterial hypertension is a significant cardiovascular risk factor globally, leading to substantial disease burden. The document emphasizes echocardiography as the primary imaging method for assessing cardiac damage in hypertensive patients. It also introduces novel techniques such as 2D and D speckle tracking and myocardial work, which can reveal subclinical left ventricular impairment. The text discusses the implications of these findings for patient management and the potential need for further imaging in certain cases.