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Effect of sex hormones on cardiac mass

C S Hayward1, C M Webb, P Collins

  • 1Department of Cardiac Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine, SW3 6LY, London, UK.

Lancet (London, England)
|May 10, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Left-ventricular mass increases with age in women but not men, with greater sex disparities under stress. Declining sex hormones may explain these differences in cardiovascular health.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Sex Differences in Medicine

Background:

  • Increased left-ventricular mass is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
  • Age and hypertrophic stimuli induce distinct changes in left-ventricular mass between sexes.
  • These sex-based disparities are more pronounced in individuals over 50 and under pathological conditions like hypertension.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between endogenous sex hormone concentrations and sex-specific changes in left-ventricular mass.
  • To explore the contrary effects of declining sex hormones on ventricular mass in men and women under normal and pathological states.

Main Methods:

  • The study likely involved analyzing existing data or conducting new research on left-ventricular mass measurements in relation to age, sex, and hormone levels.
  • Comparative analysis between male and female participants across different age groups and health conditions was central.

Main Results:

  • Left-ventricular mass increases with age in women, while it remains stable in men.
  • Sex differences in left-ventricular mass become more pronounced under conditions of increased cardiac loading (e.g., hypertension, aortic stenosis).
  • Findings suggest a potential link between declining endogenous sex hormones and these observed sex-specific changes.

Conclusions:

  • The normal decline in endogenous sex hormones with aging may exert opposing effects on left-ventricular mass in men and women.
  • Understanding these sex-based hormonal influences is crucial for addressing cardiovascular risk disparities.

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