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The effect of gender on sympathetic neural responses to cold pressor testing in hypertensive seniors
Author(s) -
Hendrix Joseph Maxwell,
Bivens Tiffany,
Best Stuart,
Okada Yoshiyuki,
Levine Benjamin D.,
Fu Qi
Publication year - 2013
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.27.1_supplement.1118.1
Subject(s) - medicine , blood pressure , cold pressor test , heart rate , diastole , sympathetic nervous system , cardiology , physical therapy
Previous studies have suggested the possibility of augmented sympathetic neural activity among elderly women versus men, and among hypertensives versus normotensives. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether hypertensive women had an augmented muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) to cold pressor testing (CPT) than hypertensive men. We compared MSNA, heart rate, and blood pressure in response to and recovery from 2‐min CPT in 13 hypertensive elderly (65–80 yrs) men, 10 hypertensive elderly women, 11 normotensive elderly men and 10 normotensive elderly women. Baseline MSNA was not different among groups. Women had significantly lower MSNA during CPT (83+/−2.2 vs. 92+/−2.0 bursts/100 beats) than men. Diastolic blood pressure was also significantly lower among hypertensive women compared to hypertensive men during CPT (84+/−3.5 vs. 96+/−3.1 mmHg). These results suggest that hypertensive women have blunted MSNA to cold pressor testing versus hypertensive men, which may contribute to the lower diastolic pressure in women.