Blood Pressure in Women

Health & research

Nov 24

“High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for heart disease in women.”

At the Center for Research on Cardiac Disease in Women led by Professor Eva Gerdts, the research focus is why women develop heart disease. Young women have lower blood pressure than men, but during midlife the blood pressure increases more in women. But does this difference in blood pressure development impact the risk of heart disease in women? This was the question in a previous research project led by postdoctor Ester Kringeland at our Center. In the project, women in their 40ties with mildly elevated blood pressure were compared to women with normal blood pressure.

Dr. Kringeland found that women with mildly elevated blood pressure were twice as likely to have a heart attack or unstable angina in their 50s compared to the women with normal blood pressure. In men there was no added risk of having a mildly elevated blood pressure.

“All adult women should know their blood pressure and have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years. But if you have additional risk factors for heart disease or the blood pressure is mildly elevated you should check it every year.”

We are particularly focused on documenting the best strategies for preventing heart disease in women. The threshold for initiating blood pressure-lowering medication is the same for both women and men.

This raises an important question: Are we potentially undertreating women? Thanks to the continued support from the Grieg Foundation, our center has been able to go deeper into these critical questions. We aim to study the link between blood pressure and the reversible, early stages of heart disease.

This research will help us understand whether current treatment thresholds are adequate for women or if adjustments are necessary to better protect their heart health.