EFFECT OF EXEREISE ON PUCMONARY AND LEFT VENTRIEULAR FUNCTIONS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS

Abstract

Evaluation of the integrity and functional capacity of a system by applying stress to the system and measuring the response is a common medical technique. Physicians have been exercising patients for many years in the investigations of suspected or actual cardiopulmonary disease, in order to assess symptoms and evaluate the components of cardio-pulmonary response. Our work was directed towards the interpretation of data obtained from a fairly complex but readily available system, while trying to point out simplified approaches. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different types of exercise (isotonic and isometric) on the pulmonary and left ventricular function especially diastolic function in hypertensive patients hopping to find an explanation of dyspnea on effort which is a common complaint in this group of patients even with normal LV systolic function. We tried to usc the most simple and easily available techniques and maneuvers in our work. So, we used a non-invasive technique for assessment of the left ventricular function which IS the echo­ cardiography, and spirometry for the assessment of the pulmonary function under different stress situations. To our knowledge no previous studies have specifically evaluated the effect of exercise on the pulmonary function in the hypertensive patients and correlated it with the left ventricular function using this simplified approach.