Subclinical cardiac damage in cardiopulmonary polymorbidity. Part 1

Abstract

Hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are one of the frequent comorbid conditions in internal medicine and are subject to meaningful cooperation among physicians, cardiologists, and pulmonologists.

A combination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension presents certain diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. These conditions share common risk factors, similar clinical presentations and some common parts of pathogenesis. The problem of association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension may be currently discusses both as a simple combination of various clinical entities, and as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease resulting in development of factors contributing to hypertension. One way or another, either a simple combination, or a mutually aggravating syndrome, but we state there is a cardiorespiratory continuum where chronic obstructive pulmonary disease acts as a valid component of hypertension development, and vice versa. Thus, it seems to be relevant to study peculiarities of the structural and functional status of the cardiovascular system and microcirculation, systemic remodeling mechanisms, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease -associated hypertension. Problems of additional cardiovascular risk marker development, treatment efficiency assessment remain topical.

Use of electrocardiography and echocardiography with dopplerometry has been an important diagnostic principle of subclinical cardiovascular damage in presence of hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comorbidity. Non-invasive imaging methods play a central part in diagnostics of subclinical target organ damage. Wide implementation thereof is based on high diagnostic accuracy, common availability, safety and relatively low price.