Hypertension in Women

One in 4 adults has hypertension worldwide, which equates to approximately 1 billion individuals. Hypertension is a leading cause of death, and lowering blood pressure prevents mortality and morbidity in women and men. Although men have higher blood pressures compared with women at all ages, older women have a slightly higher prevalence of hypertension, and hypertension is more often uncontrolled in women. Hypertension associated with pregnancy and polycystic ovary syndrome is unique to women. Exogenous hormone administration in the form of oral contraceptives, and rarely postmenopausal hormone replacement, contributes to the burden of hypertension in women. Renovascular hypertension due to fibromuscular dysplasia is more common in women. Hypertension treatment should focus on lowering blood pressure and treating additional cardiovascular risk factors, and there is no evidence to support gender-specific approaches to lowering blood pressure and modifying cardiovascular risk. (c) 2013 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.