Enhanced vasoreactivity and its response to antihypertensive therapy in hypertensive elderly women

Several previous studies have demonstrated sex differences in cardiovascular autonomic control in healthy young women, but little is known about the regulation of blood pressure in hypertensive elderly women, who have the greatest risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Therefore, we examined sex differences in physiological responses to upright tilt in 21 healthy (13 men and 8 women), 22 controlled hypertensive (10 men and 12 women), and 18 uncontrolled hypertensive (9 men and 9 women) elderly men and women. Of these, 19 normotensives, 18 controlled hypertensives, and 14 uncontrolled hypertensives completed 6 months of observation or pharmacological therapy for uncontrolled hypertension. All of the subjects underwent continuous monitoring of cardiac (RR) interval (ECG), finger arterial pressure (photoplethysmography), and stroke volume (transthoracic impedance) and periodic measurements of forearm blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography) while resting supine and during a graded head-up tilt. Blood pressure and RR-interval power spectra were computed. Baroreflex gain was estimated by the cross-spectral and sequence methods. In contrast to other groups, elderly hypertensive women increased systemic vascular resistance during tilt. This response was associated with greater low-frequency systolic pressure variability, a presumed marker of sympathetic vascular control. After 6 months of successful antihypertensive therapy, women showed attenuation of the systemic vascular resistance response and a reduction in low-frequency systolic blood pressure variability to levels similar to men and normotensive controls. These results highlight the beneficial effects of antihypertensive therapy on the systemic vasculature, particularly for elderly women in whom enhanced vasoreactivity may contribute to excessive cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.