Women should be more vigilant about their blood pressure levels, as they may be more prone to hypertension than men, reports Science Daily.
Researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center evaluated 100 men and women aged 53 years old and above to determine which factors affected their hypertension risk.
The results revealed that aside from the usual culprits like a high-fat diet and a sedentary lifestyle, gender also contributes to hypertension risk. In fact, even with the same level of blood pressure elevation, researchers found 30 to 40 percent more vascular disease in women as compared with men.
“The medical community thought that high blood pressure was the same for both sexes and treatment was based on that premise,” says study author Carlos Ferrario. “Our findings suggest a need to better understand the female sex-specific underpinnings of the hypertensive processes to tailor optimal treatments for this vulnerable population.”
To lower the risk of hypertension, experts from The Mayo Clinic recommend exercising for at least 30 to 60 minutes regularly, eating a low-fat, low-salt diet, and lessening your alcohol intake.
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