Pathophysiological aspects of hypertensive disease in women

Although during the past two decades there has been considerable progress in the understanding of the pathophysiology of human essential hypertension, the basic mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of the disease still remain largerly undefined. This also applies to the pathophysiology of hypertension in women, although a number of haemodynamic, vascular, metabolic and neurohumoral factors have been identified throughout the years as being characterized by a gender-specific relation. This paper will examine the main differences in the haemodynamic, vascular, metabolic and neurohumoral profile characterizing normotensive as well as hypertensive females as compared with age-matched males. Although in some instances clearcut differences between genders can be found, overall the pathophysiological picture of the hypertensive state does not seem to have significant differences in men and women, at least up to the years when the menopausal-related hormonal changes take place. (C) 2002 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.