Role of echocardiography in clinical hypertension

Hypertension is a major and correctable cardiovascular risk factor. The correct diagnosis of hypertension and precise assessment of cardiovascular risk are essential to give proper treatment in patients with hypertension. Although echocardiography is the second-line study in the evaluation of hypertensive patients, it gives many clues suggesting bad prognosis associated with hypertension, including increased left ventricular (LV) mass, decreased LV systolic function, impaired LV diastolic function, and increased left atrial size and decreased function. Along with conventional echocardiographic methods, tissue Doppler imaging, three-dimensional echocardiography, and strain echocardiography are newer echocardiographic modalities in the evaluation of hypertensive patients in the current echocardiographic laboratories. Understanding conventional and newer echocardiographic parameters is important in the diagnosis and assessment of cardiovascular risk in hypertensive patients.