| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Hypertension. 1995;26:514-519.)
© 1995 American Heart Association, Inc.
Articles |
Influence of Sex on Arterial Hemodynamics and Blood Pressure
Role of Body Height
From Centre Hospitalier F.H. Manhes, Fleury-Merogis; INSERM U337, Paris, France; and the School of Medicine, University of Cologne (Germany) (M.S.).
Correspondence to Dr Gerard London, Centre Hospitalier F.H. Manhes, 8 Grande Rue, 91700 Fleury-Merogis, France.
Abstract Systolic pressure is lower in premenopausal women than in age-matched men, but underlying alterations are not well characterized. Aging and body size alter arterial function, influencing pressure wave propagation and amplification in peripheral and central arteries. To assess the possibility that systolic pressure differences in women are related to smaller body size, we studied arterial function in 119 men and 104 women. Premenopausal and postmenopausal women were compared with age-matched men. The following parameters were measured: ankle-arm pressure index (Doppler), aortic and arterial distensibility (pulse wave velocity), systolic pressure and the effect and time delay of arterial wave reflections in the common carotid artery (applanation tonometry), and diameters of the abdominal aorta and aortic bifurcation and their ratio (aortic tapering, echography). Premenopausal women had lower brachial (P<.05) and ankle (P<.01) systolic pressures than age-matched men, whereas the ankle-arm pressure index was higher in men (P<.01). In the overall population the ankle-arm index was positively correlated with body height (P<.001). Carotid systolic pressure was similar in women and men, with an increased effect and earlier return of wave reflections in women (P<.01). The effect of wave reflections was inversely correlated with body height (P<.001) and positively associated with aortic tapering (P<.001), which was increased in women (P<.01). In premenopausal women the distensibility of brachial and femoral arteries was higher than in age-matched men (P<.01), whereas aortic distensibility was not different. Postmenopausal women had arterial distensibility similar to that of age-matched men but still had an increased effect of wave reflections. This study shows that body height is positively correlated with systolic pressure amplification from central to peripheral arteries and inversely correlated with the effect of wave reflections in central arteries. Shorter body height in women results in less peripheral systolic pressure amplification, with lower peripheral but not central systolic pressure. Greater arterial distensibility in premenopausal women partially offsets the effects of shorter body height. After menopause, arterial distensibility is similar to that of age-matched men and does not compensate for smaller body size, resulting in a persisting increased effect of wave reflections in central arteries.
Key Words: arteries • sex • menopause
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  G. Michelson, J. Harazny, R. E. Schmieder, R. Berendes, T. Fiermann, and S. Warntges Fourier Analysis of the Envelope of the Ophthalmic Artery Blood Flow Velocity: Age- and Blood Pressure Related Impact Hypertension, November 1, 2007; 50(5): 964 - 969. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. Qiu, C. Depre, K. Ghosh, R. G. Resuello, F. F. Natividad, F. Rossi, A. Peppas, Y.-T. Shen, D. E. Vatner, and S. F. Vatner Mechanism of Gender-Specific Differences in Aortic Stiffness With Aging in Nonhuman Primates Circulation, August 7, 2007; 116(6): 669 - 676. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. E. Petersen, F. Wiesmann, L. E. Hudsmith, M. D. Robson, J. M. Francis, J. B. Selvanayagam, S. Neubauer, and K. M. Channon Functional and Structural Vascular Remodeling in Elite Rowers Assessed by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 15, 2006; 48(4): 790 - 797. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 L. Stoner, M. Sabatier, K. Edge, and K. McCully Relationship between blood velocity and conduit artery diameter and the effects of smoking on vascular responsiveness J Appl Physiol, June 1, 2004; 96(6): 2139 - 2145. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. E. Safar, B. I. Levy, and H. Struijker-Boudier Current Perspectives on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases Circulation, June 10, 2003; 107(22): 2864 - 2869. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. Kimoto, T. Shoji, K. Shinohara, M. Inaba, Y. Okuno, T. Miki, H. Koyama, M. Emoto, and Y. Nishizawa Preferential Stiffening of Central Over Peripheral Arteries in Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes, February 1, 2003; 52(2): 448 - 452. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. A. Hope, D. B. Tay, I. T. Meredith, and J. D. Cameron Comparison of generalized and gender-specific transfer functions for the derivation of aortic waveforms Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, September 1, 2002; 283(3): H1150 - H1156. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Tatchum-Talom, C. Martel, and A. Marette Influence of estrogen on aortic stiffness and endothelial function in female rats Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, February 1, 2002; 282(2): H491 - H498. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. M.A.B. Van Bortel, H. A.J. Struijker-Boudier, and M. E. Safar Pulse Pressure, Arterial Stiffness, and Drug Treatment of Hypertension Hypertension, October 1, 2001; 38(4): 914 - 921. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E.-R. Rietzschel, E. Boeykens, M. L. De Buyzere, D. A. Duprez, and D. L. Clement A Comparison Between Systolic and Diastolic Pulse Contour Analysis in the Evaluation of Arterial Stiffness Hypertension, June 1, 2001; 37 (6): e15 - e22. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Smulyan, R. G. Asmar, A. Rudnicki, G. M. London, and M. E. Safar Comparative effects of aging in men and women on the properties of the arterial tree J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 1, 2001; 37(5): 1374 - 1380. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M. Dart and B. A. Kingwell Pulse pressure--a review of mechanisms and clinical relevance J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., March 15, 2001; 37(4): 975 - 984. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y. Jiang, K. Kohara, and K. Hiwada Association Between Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis and Mechanical Forces in Carotid Artery Stroke, October 1, 2000; 31(10): 2319 - 2324. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. F O'Rourke, C. Vlachopoulos, and R. M Graham Spurious systolic hypertension in youth Vascular Medicine, August 1, 2000; 5(3): 141 - 145. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. S. Hayward, R. P. Kelly, and P. Collins The roles of gender, the menopause and hormone replacement on cardiovascular function Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 2000; 46(1): 28 - 49. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Yasmin and M.J. Brown Similarities and differences between augmentation index and pulse wave velocity in the assessment of arterial stiffness QJM, October 1, 1999; 92(10): 595 - 600. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. J. Giltay, J. Lambert, L. J. G. Gooren, J. M. H. Elbers, M. Steyn, and C. D. A. Stehouwer Sex Steroids, Insulin, and Arterial Stiffness in Women and Men Hypertension, October 1, 1999; 34(4): 590 - 597. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 I. C. D. Westendorp, M. L. Bots, D. E. Grobbee, R. S. Reneman, A. P. G. Hoeks, N. M. Van Popele, A. Hofman, and J. C. M. Witteman Menopausal Status and Distensibility of the Common Carotid Artery Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, March 1, 1999; 19(3): 713 - 717. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. D. Cameron, B. P. McGrath, and A. M. Dart Use of radial artery applanation tonometry and a generalized transfer function to determine aortic pressure augmentation in subjects with treated hypertension J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., November 1, 1998; 32(5): 1214 - 1220. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. B. Lafleche, B. M. Pannier, B. Laloux, and M. E. Safar Arterial response during cold pressor test in borderline hypertension Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 1998; 275(2): H409 - H415. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Takazawa, N. Tanaka, M. Fujita, O. Matsuoka, T. Saiki, M. Aikawa, S. Tamura, and C. Ibukiyama Assessment of Vasoactive Agents and Vascular Aging by the Second Derivative of Photoplethysmogram Waveform Hypertension, August 1, 1998; 32(2): 365 - 370. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. S. Franklin, W. Gustin IV, N. D. Wong, M. G. Larson, M. A. Weber, W. B. Kannel, and D. Levy Hemodynamic Patterns of Age-Related Changes in Blood Pressure : The Framingham Heart Study Circulation, July 1, 1997; 96(1): 308 - 315. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|