Premium
Arterial Compliance in Untreated Hypertensive Elderly: Implications for Gender Differences
Author(s) -
Galbreath Melyn,
Shibata Shigeki,
VanGundy Tiffany B.,
Meier Rhonda L.,
Jarvis Sara S.,
Vongpatanasin Wanpen,
Levine Benjamin D.,
Fu Qi
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.24.1_supplement.982.10
Subject(s) - medicine , arterial stiffness , pulse wave velocity , blood pressure , cardiology , stroke volume , compliance (psychology) , supine position , vascular resistance , pulse pressure , heart rate , cardiac output , hemodynamics , cardiac index , peripheral , psychology , social psychology
We tested the hypothesis that elderly hypertensive women have increased arterial stiffness and altered vascular responses compared to elderly men. 15 untreated elderly hypertensive men, 5 hypertensive and 4 normotensive women, were studied. Supine hemodynamics, including arm BP, heart rate (HR), cardiac output (Qc), stroke volume (SV=Qc/HR), and total peripheral resistance (TPR=meanBP/Qc) were measured. Augmentation index (Aix), and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were assessed. Effective arterial elastance (Ea=central systolic BP/SV) and systemic arterial compliance (SAC=SV/pulse pressure) were calculated. Aix was similar across female and male hypertensives (24±6 vs 25±3%), with significance noted between hypertensive males and normotensive females (14 ± 9%, P<0.05). Central PWV was not different across groups. Peripheral PWV tended to be higher in female hypertensives than normotensives (1018±149 vs 850±70 m/s, P=0.08). Hypertensive and normotensive females had a higher Ea (2.39±0.56, 2.34±0.45 vs 1.59±0.33 mmHg/mL, P<0.05), decreased SAC (P<0.05), and elevated TPR versus hypertensive men (P<0.05). These preliminary data support gender specific differences in cardiac function and vascular response in elderly hypertensives. It is suggested that ventricular‐arterial function, a non‐neural mechanism, may be one potential explanation for sex differences in hypertensive elderly.