There has been recent interest in the left atrial (LA) size in hypertension and its prognostic significance for the development of cardiovascular events. In this study, the article evaluated changes in total LA volume and its phases (passive emptying, conduit volume, and active emptying) in hypertensive patients. Subjeds and Methods: 60 hypertensive patients were prospectively recruited and compared with 33 healthy volunteers. Hypertensive subjects were divided into 2 groups (stage 1 and stage 2). All recruits had a transthoracic echocardiogram. Maximum LA biplane volume, minimum LA biplane volume, and pre 'p'-LA biplane volume were measured, and left atrial passive, active emptying, and conduit volumes were calculated by a Sonos 5500 system (Agilent Technologies, Andover, Mass) with a 4 - 2MHz transducer. Measurements were made according to the American Society of Echocardiography criteria. LA volumes were calculated with the method of discs. Results: MaximumLA volume, pre 'p'-LA volume, and minimum LA volume were increased in the hypertension group. These LA volumes were a significantly increased in stage 2 compared with stage 1.The conduit volume, the active volume and the passive emptying volume were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion: Hypertension seems to be associated with an increase in the LA volume.