Effectiveness of blood pressure lowering: evidence-based comparisons between men and women

The global burden of blood pressure-related disease is escalating faster among women than among men and, in recent years, age-adjusted mortality rates among women have actually increased. This has led to the speculation that there might be major sex-specific differences in the effectiveness of preventive therapies such as blood pressure-lowering drugs. However, large overviews of both observational and clinical trial data provide strong evidence that the protection against serious vascular events afforded by blood pressure reduction using a range of commonly used drugs is comparable for men and women. Underestimation of cardiovascular risk and supoptimal therapy are more likely to account for poorer outcomes among women. These differences highlight the importance of global initiatives such as 'Go Red for Women'.