Stronger Association Between Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Older Women than Men

The article (external link), published in High Blood Pressure & Cardiovascular Prevention, investigates sex-specific associations between brachial blood pressure (measured at the upper arm) and central blood pressure (measured in the central aorta) and increased arterial stiffness among individuals aged 68.

The main finding is that both high and high-normal blood pressure are associated with a significantly greater risk of increased arterial stiffness in women compared to men. Women with these blood pressure levels are more than twice as likely to exhibit arterial stiffness than men with similar readings. Additionally, central systolic blood pressure shows a stronger association with increased arterial stiffness in women.

The study highlights that elevated blood pressure—both brachial and central—poses a greater health risk for women, particularly in older age. These findings suggest that women may be more vulnerable to blood pressure-related vascular and cardiac damage than men in this age group.