High Blood Pressure is Worse for Women than it is for Men

In the December issue of Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease, it was found that there may be significant physiological differences between men and women who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Intended at first to find out whether the heart or the blood vessels were more problematic, what researchers found was that high blood pressure affects men and women much differently, with high blood pressure being more dangerous for women.

 

Over the course of the study, 100 patients over the age of 53 who are being treated for high blood pressure were tested and monitored. The results that the researchers found were enlightening:

—  - Women had 30-40% more vascular disease than men - The types and levels of pressure regulating hormones varied

 

Traditionally it has been thought that high blood pressure affected men and women in the same ways, and as such, current treatment protocols have been based on the idea that men and women would respond to treatments in the same ways. While the percentage of male deaths caused by heart diseases has been declining in recent years, heart disease is still ranked as the leading cause of death for American women, which is why it is important that researchers take a closer look into how gender plays a role in heart health and treatments.

 

As a result of this study, it is suggested that more evaluation goes into the treatment methods used for treating men and women with high blood pressure, and a more aggressive treatment model may be required for more effectively treating females who have high blood pressure.

 

Source:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_143877.html