Sex Differences in Hypertension and Its Management Throughout Life

The prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension may differ by age and sex.

We included participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study at seven study visits over 33 years (visit 1: 15 636 participants; mean age, 54 years; 55% women), estimating sex differences in prevalence of hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mm Hg; diastolic blood pressure ≥80 mm Hg; or self-reported antihypertension medication use) and uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg) using unadjusted and comorbidity-adjusted models.

The prevalence of hypertension increased with age from 40% (ages, 43-46 years) to 93% (ages, 91-94 years). Within hypertensive individuals, the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension was higher in men (33%) than women (23%) at ages 43 to 46 years but became higher in women than men starting at ages 61 to 64, with 56% of women and 40% men having uncontrolled hypertension at ages 91 to 94. This sex difference was not explained by differences in coronary heart disease, diabetes, body mass index, estimated glomerular filtration rate, number of antihypertension medications, classes of medications, or adherence to medications. In both sexes, uncontrolled hypertension was associated with a higher risk for chronic kidney disease progression (hazard ratio, 1.5 [1.2-1.9]; P=4.5×10^-4), heart failure (hazard ratio, 1.6 [1.4-2.0]; P=8.1×10^-7), stroke (hazard ratio, 2.1 [1.6-2.8]; P=1.8×10^-8), and mortality (hazard ratio, 1.5 [1.3-1.6]; P=6.2×10^-19).

Sex differences in the prevalence of hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension vary by age, with the latter having implications for health throughout the life course.