HYPERTENSION AND GENDER PERSPECTIVE

Objective: Hypertension is a leading cardiovascular risk factor, with rising prevalence, in both men and women, due to lifestyle changes and aging. Gender differences are well-documented in its pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment, underscoring the need for a gender-specific approach. This study is aimed to explore differences in personal history, blood pressure (BP) values, organ damage, treatment, and follow-up based on gender in a cohort of patients from a specialized hypertension clinic. Design and method: Observational and retrospective study including 78 patients (47% men, 53% women) diagnosed with hypertension visited at a tertiary hospital’s hypertension clinic between 2013 and 2023. Data were extracted from medical records and analysed using chi-square, Fisher’s exact tests, and t-tests with SPSS Statistics version 27. Results were reported as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results: Table 1 summarizes the cohort’s characteristics. Men and women had similar mean ages. Notable gender differences included higher abdominal perimeter in men and lower dyslipidemia, triglycerides, and higher HDL cholesterol levels in women. Other comorbidities and toxic habits showed no significant differences. No gender differences were found in treatment patterns or mean BP, although women reported more hypertension-related symptoms. Ambulatory BP monitoring revealed a higher prevalence of non-dipper patterns in women. BP control (<140/90 mmHg) was better in women at 5 years but equalized by 10 years. Long-term follow-up showed similar BP values, medication use, new comorbidities, and cardiovascular outcomes, including mortality, between genders. Established cardiovascular damage affected 48.6% of men and 41.5% of women, with no significant differences.Conclusions: Long-term outcomes, including BP control, treatment strategies, cardiovascular events, and mortality, were comparable between men and women. However, significant gender differences in anthropometric measurements, lipid profiles, and BP patterns were identified. These findings stress the importance of addressing sex-specific factors, particularly in women, whose cardiovascular health is shaped by unique biological and hormonal influences —such as those related to pregnancy, menopause, and autoimmune diseases—. Incorporating these differences into clinical practice is critical for equitable hypertension management, as women face similar morbidity and mortality risks as men.