Ventricular Structure and Function in Aged Dogs With Renal Hypertension

Abstract

Aged dogs with chronic hypertension exhibit LV hypertrophy and fibrosis with impaired LV relaxation but no increase in the coefficient of LV diastolic stiffness. LV systolic and arterial stiffness are increased, which may exacerbate load-dependent impairment of relaxation and contribute to increased filling pressures with hypertensive episodes. This model mimics many of the structural and functional characteristics described in the limited studies of human DHF and provides insight into the pathogenesis of DHF.