The aim of the study was to investigate left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic circumferential myocardial function using tissue Doppler imaging in patients with essential hypertension. One hundred and two patients and 33 healthy age-matched controls were studied. Each patient underwent echocardiographic study with analysis of tissue velocity curves, which included mean peak systolic (Sm), early (Em) and late diastolic velocity (Am) and isovolumic relaxation time (IRTm). These parameters were expressed as means from the six basal segments of left ventricle reflecting its longitudinal function (L). The same indices estimated in mid-anteroseptal (C-AS) and mid-posterior (C-P) segments in parasternal short-axis view served as a measure of LV circumferential function. Higher value of C-AS-Sm and a similar trend in C-P-Sm suggest increased LV circumferential systolic function in hypertensive patients, whereas lower values of C-AS-Em, C-P-Em, C-AS-Em/Am and C-P-Em/Am indicate impaired LV circumferential diastolic function. Decreased L-Sm as well as decreased L-Em and L-Em/Am reflects LV longitudinal systolic and diastolic dysfunction, respectively. By univariate analysis, positive correlations were demonstrated between C-AS-Sm and LV mass index (LVMI) (r=0.61, P<0.001), interventricular septum thickness (IVS) (r=0.55, P<0.001) and LV posterior wall thickness (PW) (r=0.43, P<0.01) and negative ones between L-Sm and LVMI (r=-0.51, P<0.001) and PW (r=-0.36, P<0.04). By stepwise multivariate regression analysis, LVMI, IVS and age independently predicted C-AS-Sm and LVMI predicted L-Sm. Our study demonstrated in hypertensive patients increased LV circumferential systolic and decreased diastolic function. The former may be a compensatory response to the impairment in LV longitudinal systolic performance.