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Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular risk factors are frequently undertreated in women. However, it is unclear whether the prevalence of additional cardiovascular risk factors and the total cardiovascular risk differ between hypertensive men and women. There are also limited data regarding rates of blood pressure control in the two sexes outside the United States. The authors aimed to compare the cardiovascular risk profile between sexes. A total of 1810 hypertensive patients (40.4% men, age 56.5AE13.5 years) attending the hypertension outpatient clinic of our department were studied. Men were more frequently smokers than women and were more heavy smokers than the latter. Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were lower and serum triglyceride levels were higher in men. On the other hand, abdominal obesity and chronic kidney disease were more prevalent in women. The estimated cardiovascular risk was higher in men than in women but the prevalence of established CVD did not differ between the sexes. The percentage of patients with controlled hypertension and the number of antihypertensive medications were similar in men and women. In conclusion, hypertensive men have more adverse cardiovascular risk factor profile and greater estimated cardiovascular risk than women. However, the prevalence of established CVD does not differ between sexes. These findings further reinforce current guidelines that recommend that management of hypertension and of other cardiovascular risk factors should be as aggressive in women as in men in order to prevent cardiovascular events.J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2014;16:309-312. ª2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the leading cause of mortality in both men and women.1 Even though the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) is higher in men, the prevalence of stroke and the absolute annual number of CVD deaths are higher in women.1 Despite these findings, both women and physicians tend to underestimate the cardiovascular risk in the female population.2,3 Moreover, in women, the frequently atypical manifestation of CHD and the underuse of diagnostic procedures result in delayed diagnosis of CHD.2,4 The management of CVD in women is also suboptimal, as they are often prescribed fewer drugs than men 2 and are less likely to undergo revascularization after coronary angiography. 4 Hypertension is a major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. 5 It was reported that elevated blood pressure (BP) contributes more to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women. 6,7 Hypertension often clusters with other cardiovascular risk factors; 80% to 98% of hypertensive patients have at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor. 8,9 The presence of other traditional cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive patients is independently associated with target organ damage.10 However, discrepant results have been reported regarding the prevalence of other traditional cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive men and women. Some studies have r...

RH is frequent in patients followed up in hypertension outpatient clinics. In addition to age and obesity, MetS appears to be associated with increased risk for RH. Clarification of the mechanisms underpinning the association between MetS and hypertension might reduce the prevalence of RH.