Hypertension is a known risk factor in heart disease. It can lead to pressure overload and hypertrophy of the left ventricle. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of hypertension on the operative and early postoperative outcome after aortic valve surgery using the retrograde cardioplegia. All the data of all the patients who had aortic valve surgery in our department were retrospectively examined during the period from January 1994 until April 1996 and received retrograde blood cardioplegia. 397 patients were included in this study. 213 of them had arterial hypertension, as preoperatively diagnosed by the referring cardiologist. There were 163 females and 234 males. 142 were above 70 yr of age. 22 patients had an ejection fraction (EF) < or =0.4 and in 168 patients the LVEDP was >15 mmHg. Hypertension alone proved to be no risk factor. Decreased EF in hypertensive patients leads to an increase in the occurrence of prolonged ICU-stay, low cardiac output and neurological complications. Hypertension alone does not increase the risk of operative and early postoperative aortic valve surgery.