In hypertensive heart disease patients with decompensation, ejection fraction and mean rate of circumferential shortening was reduced(0.45±0.12, 0.67±0.20 circ/sec respectively) compaired with normal control(0.70±0.05, 1.16±0.15 circ/sec respectively), hypertensive patients without left ventricular hypertrophy(0.67±0.05, 1.16±0.15 circ/sec respectively) and hypertensive heart disease patients with compensation(0.67±0.07, 1.09±0.14 circ/sec respectively). In contrast, ejection fraction and mean rate of circumferential shortening were not significantly different among the last three groups.

These results indicate that left ventricular performance measured by ejection fraction and mean rate of circumferential shortening is well preserved in hypertensive patients without left ventricular hypertrophy and hypertensive heart disease patients with compensation.