Influence of Sex on Arterial Hemodynamics and Blood Pressure

Abstract

Systolic pressure is lower in premenopausal women than in age-matched men, but underlying alterations are not well characterized. Aging and body size alter arterial function, influencing pressure wave propagation and amplification in peripheral and central arteries. To assess the possibility that systolic pressure differences in women are related to smaller body size, we studied arterial function in 119 men and 104 women. Premenopausal and postmenopausal women were compared with age-matched men. The following parameters were measured: ankle-arm pressure index (Doppler), aortic and arterial distensibility (pulse wave velocity), systolic pressure and the effect and time delay of arterial wave reflections in the common carotid artery (applanation tonometry), and diameters of the abdominal aorta and aortic bifurcation and their ratio (aortic tapering, echography). Premenopausal women had lower brachial (P < .05) and ankle (P < .01) systolic pressures than age-matched men, whereas the ankle-arm pressure index was higher in men (P < .01). In the overall population the ankle-arm index was positively correlated with body height (P < .001). Carotid systolic pressure was similar in women and men, with an increased effect and earlier return of wave reflections in women (P < .01). The effect of wave reflections was inversely correlated with body height (P < .001) and positively associated with aortic tapering (P < .001), which was increased in women (P < .01). In premenopausal women the distensibility of brachial and femoral arteries was higher than in age-matched men (P < .01), whereas aortic distensibility was not different.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The influence of obesity and metabolic risk variables on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in healthy adolescents

“…In addition, some studies have reported that baPWV is strongly influenced by gender in adults and that the difference is due to the beneficial effect of female hormones on arterial stiffness. 26,27 In this study, the baPWV of adolescents was higher in male than in female subjects, and the difference was more evident with increasing age. This finding suggests that the influence of sex hormones contributes to arterial stiffness in postpubertal female adolescents.…”

Menopause and the characteristics of the large arteries in a population study

“…In line with our findings, aortic pulse wave velocity rose with age in both sexes, but the increase was steeper in postmenopausal women than in age-matched men. 14 In premenopausal women greater distensibility of the brachial and femoral arteries partially compensated for the effects of shorter body height and enhanced aortic tapering, but after menopause this compensatory mechanism disappeared. 14 In the present population study, the analyses were adjusted for body mass index, hence for the inverse of body height (squared), but not for aortic tapering.…”

Spurious systolic hypertension in youth

“…These findings were consistent with a lower average height in women than men. 10 Further support of this concept comes from studies of blood pressure from birth to adulthood 15 and from pooled population studies. 16 Implications Vascular Medicine 2000; 5: [141][142][143][144][145] are further supported by the most recent data from the Framingham Heart Study.…”

“…If the above mechanism is correct, one would expect to see this more commonly in tall subjects with low aortic pulse wave velocity, and in young adult males rather than young adult females because they are generally taller. 10 One would also expect to see an effect of the phenomenon in population studies.…”