BACKGROUND: Concentric left ventricular remodeling (an increased wall thickness relative to end diastolic diameter) has been suggested as an independent cardiovascular risk factor in hypertensive patients. This study was aimed to evaluate the influence of left ventricular concentric remodeling on LV systolic and diastolic function in patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: A total of 201 patients with essential hypertension (113 females, mean age 59짹9 years, 88 males, mean age 54짹12 years) were included. ABPM, metabolic findings were evaluated. Conventional 2D and Doppler echo was done. Peak strain, peak systolic strain rate, and peak diastolic strain rate at base and mid LV level of six walls in apical views were measured and averaged in each patient. RESULTS: Of 201 patients with essential hypertension, 127 patients (63.2%) were categorized as normal geometry (Group I), 49 patients (24.4%) as concentric remodeling (Group II), 25 patients (12.4%) as LVH (Group III). In Group II, Strain, peak systolic strain rate, peak diastolic strain rate is lower than Group I and higher than Group III. In Group II, E/E��� level is higher than Group I and lower than Group III. CONCLUSIONS: LV geometry as evaluated by LVMI and RWT may provide a further independent stratification of LV systolic and diastolic functions in essential hypertension. In addition, the assessment of LV systolic and diastolic function by using strain rate imaging is clinically useful when examining hypertensive patients with concentric geometry.