Wake Forest University researchers tested 100 men and women with untreated high blood pressure, all age 53 and over with untreated high blood pressure. By measuring the hemodynamic forces—the forces used in blood circulation—and the hormonal characteristics involved in developing high blood pressure, researchers discovered that the women’s blood vessels were more constricted, setting them up for an increased risk of blockages, heart attacks, stroke, and vascular disease. In fact, women’s blood vessels were 30-40% more likely to have vascular disease compared to men’s—even though both sexes had the same elevated blood pressure levels. And that’s not all: There were significant differences in women’s cardiovascular systems. For example, the types and levels of hormones involved in blood pressure regulation varied between men and women, which can determine the severity and frequency of heart disease. Why the differences? “Either there are high populations of cytokine-stimulating hormones [that promote inflammation] in women compared to men, or a loss of estrogen that protects the blood vessels,” says lead study author Carlos M. Ferrario, MD, of the Laboratory of Translational Hypertension Research. “We think that the loss of estrogen allows these cytokine-stimulating hormones to become overactive.” So what does this mean for you? For now, it means taking a hypertension diagnosis seriously by trying to lower your blood pressure with lifestyle changes, such as these 13 ways to lower blood pressure naturally. In the future, these results could help dictate sex-specific guidelines for medications. “Clearly this shows that we should be giving drug therapy to men and women differently, according to these mechanisms,” says Dr. Ferrario. “The problem that we have today is that these issues have never been properly investigated or addressed. And that—now in view of our results—makes no sense.”
