Hot Flashes and Blood Pressure in Middle-Aged Japanese Women

BACKGROUND Some Western studies have reported that hot flashes are risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between hot flashes and blood pressure in middle-aged Japanese women. METHODS Annual medical checkup data from 1,058 healthy middle-aged Japanese women were analyzed. Nonstandardized coefficients (B), which were calculated by multiple linear regression analysis, were used to evaluate differences in blood pressure resulting from hot flashes. RESULTS The prevalence of current hot flashes was 20.2%, and the experience of hot flashes was significantly more frequent according to age (P < 0.01). Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in women currently experiencing hot flashes and in those experiencing them within the previous month than in those without such experience (B = 6.0, P < 0.01; B = 3.7, P < 0.05, respectively). Diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in women currently experiencing hot flashes than in those without such experience (B = 3.9; P < 0.01). Among current smokers, systolic blood pressure was 16.4 mm Hg higher in those currently experiencing hot flashes (P < 0.01), but this difference was less among nonsmokers (P < 0.05). In addition, pulse pressure was 10.5 mm Hg higher in current smokers currently experiencing hot flashes than in other current smokers (P < 0.01), but not among nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS In middle-aged Japanese women, hot flashes were associated with higher pulse pressure among smokers but not among nonsmokers.