Effects of diltiazem therapy on left ventricular diastolic function and septal thickness in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

AIM: To study the long term effects of diltiazem on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function and septal thichness in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). METHODS: Thirty_two patients (M 21, F 11; age 48 a±s 10 a) with HCM received diltizaem 30_60 mg, po, tid for 5 a. Echocardiogram was carried out before and after 0.5, 5 a, respectively. RESULTS: After therapy, LV diastolic dysfunction was improved: the prolonged isovolumic relaxation time (IRT) was shortened, the decreased deceleration (DC) and E accelerate area (EAA) were increased (P0.01 or P0.05). This improvement maintained at 5 a of treatment. LV septal thickness and left atrial dimension (LAD) had a tendency toward regression (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Long_term oral diltiazem therapy improves LV diastolic function and inhibit LV septal from thickening in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.