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Sex-specific cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a cohort treated for hypertension

Cairu Li1, Gunnar Engström, Bo Hedblad

  • 1Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Epidemiological Research Group, Malmö, University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. cairu.li@med.lu.se

Journal of Hypertension
|August 1, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Hypertensive men face higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks than women, a gap not fully closed by medication. Specific factors like living alone or having diabetes impact these risks differently by gender.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Epidemiology
  • Hypertension Research

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence is notably higher in men compared to women.
  • Understanding factors influencing this gender disparity is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if pharmacological interventions modify the gender differential in CVD incidence within a population-based cohort.
  • To explore the impact of age, single household status, and diabetes on sex-specific CVD risks.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective population-based cohort study (Malmö Diet and Cancer study) of 3608 hypertensive individuals (45-73 years old).
  • Data collected via questionnaire on blood pressure-lowering medication.
  • Follow-up for first-ever cardiac events, stroke, and CVD death over a mean of 7.4 years.

Main Results:

  • Hypertensive men exhibited significantly higher risks for cardiac events (RR=3.11), stroke (RR=1.50), and CVD death (RR=2.96) compared to women.
  • The gender gap in CVD risk decreased with advancing age.
  • Single household status and diabetes showed independent, sex-specific impacts on CVD risk.

Conclusions:

  • Gender is a significant, independent predictor of CVD morbidity and mortality, even with antihypertensive treatment.
  • Clinical focus is warranted for hypertensive men living alone and hypertensive women with diabetes due to their elevated risks.
Abstract

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