Sex Differences in Hypertension

Hypertension is a complex disorder involving multiple organ systems and the primary modifiable risk factor for heart disease, which is the leading cause of death among both men and women in the United States. Although both men and women develop hypertension, distinct gender differences in the incidence and severity of hypertension are well established where men have a higher incidence of hypertension compared with women of the same age until the sixth decade of life. Despite gender differences in human hypertension, the treatment guidelines do not differ by gender. The first goal of this review is to examine the clinical data to determine whether this is appropriate, with the remainder of the review focused on basic science research implicating a role for the immune system in mediating sex differences in hypertension.