Cerebral circulation in hypertensive encephalopathy and chronic heart failure

Aim. To compare cerebral circulation in chronic hypertensive encephalopathy (HE) with and without chronic heart failure (CHF).Material and methods. In total, 122 patients with Stage I-III HE, but free from occlusive carotid disease, were examined. Duplex scanning was used to measure volume blood flow in common carotid arteries (CCA), vertebral arteries (VA), and middle cerebral arteries (MCA). Single photon emission computer tomography was used for cortical cerebral perfusion (CCP) assessment.Results. Stage I diastolic CHF was diagnosed in 37 patients (30%), and Stage II diastolic CHF — in 68 (56%). Regardless from CHF presence, HE was characterised by unchanged CCA and VA hemodynamics, reduced flow velocity in MCA, and increased MCA resistance parameters. Compared to CHF-free patients, those with Stage ICHF demonstrated increased frontal CCP (p