Association of Postural Hypotension and Echocardiographic Parameters in Chronic Heart Failure Patients
Orthostatic hypotension is a frequent concomitant disorder and a common co-morbidity in heart failure. It has been associated with increased risk of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity. Prevalent orthostatic hypotension may precede the incidence of HF and atrial fibrillation. The aim of this study by EM Mahfouz et al. (Cairo, Egypt) was to assess postural hypotension in chronic heart failure patients and its association with clinical manifestations and echocardiographic parameters.
According to this study, orthostatic hypotension is associated with the presence of structural cardiac changes such as increased left ventricular mass and increased left atrial volume. These findings suggest that autonomic dysfunction promotes cardiac remodelling in heart failure.