Core Concepts
Patients with hypertension exhibit impaired ventilatory efficiency during exercise, indicating potential cardiac risk.
Abstract
TOPLINE:
Hypertensive patients show elevated V E /VCO 2 slope, indicating ventilatory inefficiency during exercise.
V E /VCO 2 slopes can help identify increased cardiac risk in hypertension.
METHODOLOGY:
Ventilatory efficiency is assessed using V E /VCO 2 relationship.
V E /VCO 2 slope is elevated in heart failure but unclear in primary hypertension.
Study included 55 hypertensive patients and 24 normotensive controls.
Participants underwent cardiovascular pulmonary exercise tests on a bike ergometer.
TAKEAWAY:
Only 27.3% of hypertensive participants had a normal V E /VCO 2 slope.
Hypertensive group had a higher V E /VCO 2 slope than controls.
Peak breathing frequency was elevated in hypertensive individuals.
IN PRACTICE:
Noninvasive measures like V E /VCO 2 slope could aid in risk stratification and treatment decisions.
SOURCE:
Study conducted by Katrina Hope and colleagues, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
LIMITATIONS:
Further research is needed to understand the reasons behind the elevated V E /VCO 2 slope.
DISCLOSURES:
Study supported by various foundations, authors have no conflicts of interest.
Stats
Patients with hypertension have elevated V E /VCO 2 slope compared with normotensive controls.
Peak breathing frequency was higher in hypertensive individuals.
V E /VCO 2 slope was higher in untreated and treated-controlled hypertensive individuals.
Quotes
"Adding this noninvasive measure might be useful in the future for risk stratification and for making treatment decisions." - Authors