Echocardiographic parameters of the study populations.

<p>Left ventricular echocardiographic parameters end systolic diameter (ESD, panel A), end diastolic diameter (EDD, panel B) and ejection fraction (EF, panel C) are shown in healthy people (healthy, n = 45, filled bars), patients with hypertension (hypertensive, n = 239, grey bars) and with severe heart failure (HF - CRT, n = 65, open bars). The kinetics of ventricular contractions (dP/dt) is shown in patients with severe heart failure (panel D, n = 22). Values in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy are shown before device implantation (HF - CRT, before) and after 6–9 months (HF - CRT, after). Unpaired echocardiographic values were analyzed by the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test (two tails, panel A–C). Paired echocardiographic data (CRT before and after, panel A–C and dP/dt, panel D) were evaluated by the nonparametric Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test (two tails). Bars are mean ± S.E.M. Significant differences are labeled by asterisks (** P<0.001).