Differences of myocardial systolic deformation and correlates of diastolic function in competitive rowers and young hypertensives: a speckle-tracking echocardiography study.

The hearts of young patients with hypertension are characterized by reduced global lomgitudinal strain, whereas global circumferential strain, global radial strain, and torsion are similar to those of athletes' hearts. The extent of global longitudinal strain is strongly associated with left ventricular diastolic function, independently of afterload changes and the degree of left ventricular hypertrophy