性激素及其比例关系在冠心病发病中所起作用的研究

为研究性激素及其比例关系对冠心病发病的影响，我们测定了男性冠心病和绝经后女性冠心病患者及相应对照者的血清雌二醇（Ｅ２）、孕酮（Ｐ）和睾酮（Ｔ）水平。结果显示：（１）男性冠心病组和绝经后女性冠心病组血清Ｐ水平均显著高于对照组。（２）绝经后女性冠心病组血清Ｔ水平明显高于对照组。（３）男性冠心病组的Ｅ２／Ｐ及绝经后女性冠心病组Ｅ２／Ｐ及Ｅ２／Ｔ均显著降低于对照组。本研究提示：孕激素水平过高及绝经后女性雄激素水平过高是冠心病发病的危险因子；性激素比例失衡与冠心病发病有密切关系。     

性激素及其比例关系的冠心病发病中所起作用的研究

为研究性激素及其比例关系对冠心病发病的影响，我们测定了男性冠心病和绝经后女性冠心病患者及相应对照者的血清雌二醇（Ｅ２）、孕酮（Ｐ）和睾酮（Ｔ）水平。结果显示（１）男性冠心病组和绝经后女性冠心病组血清Ｐ水平均显著高于对照组。（２）绝经后女性冠心病组血清Ｔ水平明显高于对照组。（３）男性冠心病组的Ｅ２／Ｐ及绝经后女性冠心病组Ｅ２／Ｐ及Ｅ２／Ｔ均显著降低于对照组。本研究提示；孕激素水平过高及绝经后女性激素     

绝经后女性冠心病性激素与血脂,载脂蛋白的关系

测定３６例绝经后女性冠心病病人和２４例对照者的血清雌二醇（Ｅ２）、睾酮（Ｔ）、总胆固醇（ＴＣ）、甘油三酯（ＴＧ）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＨＤＬ－Ｃ）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＬＤＬ－Ｃ）、载脂蛋白ＡⅠ（ＡｐｏＡⅠ）、载脂蛋白Ｂ１００（ＡｐｏＢ１００）水平。结果显示：ＣＨＤ组Ｅ２、ＨＤＬ－Ｃ、ＡｐｏＡⅠ显著低于对照组。ＴＣ、ＴＧ、ＬＤＬ－Ｃ、ＡｐｏＢ１００显著高于对照组。Ｅ２和Ｔ与ＡｐｏＡⅠ呈显著正相关。表明绝经后女性ＣＨＤ存在性激素环境失衡，Ｅ２水平不足，引起血脂、脂蛋白代谢紊乱，支持Ｅ２对女性ＣＨＤ有直接保护作用。     

妇女血脂水平的与性激素变化的关系

目的 探讨妇女血脂水平与性激素变化的关系,了解性激素在冠心病发病机制中的作用。方法 绝经前、围绝经期、绝经后妇女共６０８例,分别测定雌二醇（Ｅ２）、孕酮（Ｐ）、促卵泡生成素（ＦＳＨ）,黄体生成素（ＬＨ）、血清胆固醇（ＴＣ）、甘油三酯（ＴＧ）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＨＤＬ－Ｃ）及低旨蛋白胆固醇（ＬＤＬ－Ｃ）水平。结果 绝经后妇女Ｅ２水平较绝经前期及围绝经期妇女明显下降,后两者无明显差异,绝经后与围绝经     

妇女血脂水平与性激素变化的关系

目的探讨妇女血脂水平与性激素变化的关系,了解性激素在冠心病发病机制中的作用。方法绝经前、围绝经期、绝经后妇女共６０８例,分别测定雌二醇（Ｅ２）、孕酮（Ｐ）、促卵泡生成素（ＦＳＨ）、黄体生成素（ＬＨ）、血清胆固醇（ＴＣ）、甘油三酯（ＴＧ）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＨＤＬ－Ｃ）及低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＬＤＬ－Ｃ）水平。结果绝经后妇女Ｅ２水平较绝经前期及围绝经期妇女明显下降（Ｐ＜０．０１）,后两者无明显差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）,绝经后与围绝经期妇女的ＦＳＨ及ＬＨ均较绝经前期妇女明显升高（Ｐ＜０．０１）,绝经后期较围绝经期组升高更明显,两者相比有显著差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。绝经前期与围绝经期妇女的血脂水平无显著差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）,绝经后期与绝经前期相比,ＴＣ、ＴＧ、ＬＤＬ－Ｃ水平升高,ＨＤＬ－Ｃ水平下降（Ｐ＜０．０５）。绝经后妇女Ｅ２与ＴＣ、ＬＤＬ－Ｃ水平呈负相关,与ＨＤＬ－Ｃ水平呈正相关。结论妇女血脂异常改变与体内性激素水平下降有关。     

雌激素替代疗法对绝经后女性冠心病近期疗效观察

目的 观察雌激素替代疗法（ＥＲＴ）对绝经后女性冠心病（ＣＨＤ）心绞痛、心律失常的近期疗效。方法 住院及门诊病人１２６例绝经后２年以上ＣＨＤ心绞痛／或心律失常病人,随机分两组,除常规ＣＨＤ治疗后在其中一组（ＥＲＴ组）并用雌激素（倍美力）,定期检查患者血甭性激素、动态心电图、平板心电图的变化。结果 两组治疗前性激素Ｅ２均较绝经后健康个体低（Ｐ〈０．０１）,替代治疗后,ＥＲＴ组的性激素水平较治疗前改善（     

2型糖尿病患者性激素水平与免疫功能关系的探讨

目的 了解２型糖尿病（２型ＤＭ）患者性激素水平与免疫功能的关系。方法 用放免法测定５７例（男３１例，女２６例）２型糖尿病患者及对照组５０例（男２４例，女２６例）的血清雌二醇（Ｅ２），睾酮（Ｔ）水平，用乳酸脱氢酶释放法测定自然杀伤细胞活性（ＮＫＣＡ），用计数法测定ＣＤ４，ＣＤ８的百分比，结果 男、女性２型ＤＭ患者的ＭＫＣＡ显著低于对照组（Ｐ〈０．０１）。女性２型ＤＭ组Ｅ２／Ｔ显著低于对照组（Ｐ〈０．     

老年男性冠心病患者血清硫酸脱氢表雄酮含量变化的临床意义

目的观察老年男性冠心病患者血清硫酸脱氢表雄酮（ＤＨＥＡ－Ｓ）含量变化，探讨其与睾酮（Ｔ）、胰岛素（ＩＮＳ）、血糖（Ｇｌｕ）、甘油三酯（ＴＧ）、总胆固醇（ＴＣ）、载脂蛋白Ｂ（ａｐｏＢ）及年龄的相关性。方法用放免法测定６９例老年男性冠心病患者血清ＤＨＥＡ－Ｓ含量，并与３５例年龄匹配的男性健康人对照。结果冠心病组ＤＨＥＡ－Ｓ含量（２．９６±１．８０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ）显著低于对照组（４．０６±１．７６μｍｏｌ／Ｌ，Ｐ＜０．０１），病情重组（２．４４±１．３６μｍｏｌ／Ｌ）又明显低于病情轻组（３．３２±２．１２μｍｏｌ／Ｌ，Ｐ＜０．０５）；冠心病组ＤＨＥＡ－Ｓ含量与年龄呈负相关（ｒ＝－０．３０５４，Ｐ＜０．０１），对照组两者也呈负相关（ｒ＝－０．３６１５，Ｐ＜０．０５）；冠心病患者ＤＨＥＡ－Ｓ降低与空腹血清ＩＮＳ、ＴＧ及ａｐｏＢ增高均呈负相关（分别为ｒ＝－０．３２９７、－０．２５１９及－０．２４１３，Ｐ＜０．０１或０．０５）。结论老年男性冠心病患者血清ＤＨＥＡ－Ｓ含量降低，并与冠心病某些危险因素如老年、高胰岛素血症、高甘油三酯血症、血清ａｐｏＢ高值相关，但其确切的发病机理有待深入研究。     

绝经后女性糖尿病患者性激素结合球蛋白与胰岛素抵抗的关系

目的 探讨伴有和不伴有２型糖尿病的绝经后妇女性激素结合球蛋白（ＳＨＢＧ）与胰岛素抵抗的关系。方法 对６０例绝经后妇女（伴２型糖尿病组３０例,单纯绝经后组３０例）测定总睾酮（Ｔ）、雌二醇（Ｅ２）、ＳＨＢＧ、空腹胰岛素（ＦＩＮＳ）、空腹血糖（ＦＢＧ）及血脂,ＦＩＮＳ则明显升高（Ｐ〈０．０１）,伴２型糖尿 绝经后组此差异更为显著,并伴血脂异常。多元回归相关分析显示,ＳＨＢＧ与Ｔ、血清胰岛素呈显著负相关。     

多囊卵巢综合征患者血清性激素与血脂检测结果分析

采用放免法和酶法分别测定了２９例多囊卵囊综合征（ＰＣＯＳ）患者的血清性激素、血脂水平、并与２９例正常育龄妇女（对照组）进行比较，结果ＰＣＯＳ组黄体生成素（ＬＨ）、睾酮（Ｔ）水平显著高于对照组，而雌二醇（Ｅ２）低于对照组黄体期水平，ＰＣＯＳ组总胆固醇水平明显高于对照组，而高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＨＤＬＣ）低于对照组。认为肥胖不是ＰＣＯＳ患者血脂改变的原因，ＰＣＯＳ患者患动脉硬化症的危险性罗大     

The role of sex hormones and sodium intake in postmenopausal hypertension.

To determine the role of sex hormones and sodium intake in hypertension seen in postmenopausal woman, 12 women (aged 50 to 59 years) in whom blood pressure increased for the first time to above 150/90 mmHg after cessation of menstruation were examined in comparison with 7 age-matched postmenopausal normotensive women (118 +/- 2/62 +/- 3 mmHg). All subjects were admitted to the hospital and their sodium intake was maintained at 204 (normal), 306 (high), and 51 (low) mmol/day for 5 days each. In each period, body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, serum levels of sex hormones and vasoactive hormones, and urinary excretions of sodium, kallikrein and dopamine were determined. The plasma levels of prolactin, progesterone, oestrone, and oestradiol in the hypertensive women were all significantly lower than those in the normotensive women in all study periods. With a change in sodium intake from high to low, blood pressure in 8 out of 12 hypertensive patients decreased by more than 10% from 160 +/- 2/100 +/- 2 mmHg to 144 +/- 2/87 +/- 2 mmHg, while in the normotensive women, only 1 out of 7 patients responded to this change in sodium intake. The changes in sodium intake did not alter the plasma levels of sex hormones in the hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Among the hypertensive patients, three had a history of pregnancy-induced hypertension, while none of the normotensive subjects had such a history. The results of the present study suggest that decreases in sex hormones and increased sensitivity to sodium are important factors in the genesis of postmenopausal hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

老年高血压病患者性激素与血管内皮功能的关系

为研究老年高血压病患者性激素,vWF含量和纤溶活性的改变及其相关性,分别采用放射免疫法,酶联免疫吸附法和发色底物法测定了66例（女34例,男32例）I,II期老年高血压病患者和32例（女16例,男16例）老年正常人的雌二醇,睾酮及内皮损伤特异性标志物－von Willebrand因子含量,以及组织型纤溶酶原激活物和纤溶酶原激活物抑制物活性,并进行了相关性分析,结果发现,老年女性高血压病雌二醇水平,组织型纤溶酶原激活物活性明显低于老年女性正常对照组（P＜0．01,P＜0．05）,而von Willebrand因子含量,纤溶酶原激活物抑制物活性明显高于正常对照组（P＜0．05,P＜0．01）,老年男性高血压病组睾酮水平,组织型纤溶酶原激活物活性明显低于老年男性正常对照组（P＜0．05,P＜0．01）,von Willebrand因子含量,纤溶酶原激活物抑制物活性显著高于正常对照组（P＜0．05,P＜0．01）,老年女性高血压病组雌二醇水平与von Willebrand因子含量呈显著负相, 结果提示,老年女性高血压病患者雌二醇水平明显降低,而男性睾酮水平下降,两者都存在明显的内皮损伤,纤溶活性异常,雌二醇可能通过对血管内皮功能的有利影响而对女性高血压起保护作用。     

高血压遗传因素与胰岛素抵抗

目的探讨高血压遗传因素与胰岛素抵抗及其他代谢因素的关系。方法采用家系调查方法，共调查高血压家系２５个，包括直系亲属１５８例，其中高血压５４例，血压正常者１０４例；对照家系１５个，直系亲属６５人。对比分析高血压家系有无高血压及对照家系直系亲属尿酸、血脂、血糖及胰岛素的差异。结果调整年龄、性别后，在高血压家系中无论是否患高血压，甘油三酯（ＴＧ）、ＴＧ的对数转换值（ｌｏｇＴＧ）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＨＤＬＣ）、血浆总胆固醇（ＴＣ）／ＨＤＬＣ、尿酸、胰岛素（ＩＮ）及其对转换值（ｌｏｇＩＮ）均显著高于对照家系，而高血压家系内有无高血压两组比较，除胰岛素、ｌｏｇＩＮ外，其他因素均无显著差别，进一步调整年龄、性别、体重指数后比较，ＴＧ、ｌｏｇＴＧ在三组间差异不再显著，尿酸、ＴＣ／ＨＤＬＣ、ｌｏｇＩＮ在高血压家系内高血压及血压正常人群间无显著统计学差别，但两者与对照家系相比均显著升高。结论具有高血压遗传因素者无论是否患高血压均有显著的胰岛素抵抗和代谢紊乱，这些代谢异常可能在超重和高血压发生前就已存在。     

Electron paramagnetic resonance investigation on modulatory effect of 17beta-estradiol on membrane fluidity of erythrocytes in postmenopausal women

Many studies have shown that estrogen may exert cardioprotective effects and reduce the risk of hypertension and coronary events. On the other hand, it has been proposed that cell membrane abnormalities play a role in the pathophysiology of hypertension, although it is not clear whether estrogen would influence membrane function in essential hypertension. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on membrane fluidity of erythrocytes in normotensive and hypertensive postmenopausal women. We determined the membrane fluidity of erythrocytes by means of an electron paramagnetic resonance and spin-labeling method. In an in vitro study, E(2) significantly decreased the order parameter for 5-nitroxide stearate and the peak height ratio for 16-nitroxide stearate obtained from electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of erythrocyte membranes in normotensive postmenopausal women. The finding indicates that E(2) might increase the membrane fluidity of erythrocytes. The effect of E(2) was significantly potentiated by the NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, and a cGMP analogue, 8-bromo-cGMP. In contrast, the change in the membrane fluidity evoked by E(2) was attenuated in the presence of the NO synthase inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, and asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine. In hypertensive postmenopausal women, the membrane fluidity of erythrocytes was significantly lower than that in normotensive postmenopausal women. The effect of E(2) on membrane fluidity was significantly more pronounced in the erythrocytes of hypertensive postmenopausal women than in the erythrocytes of normotensive postmenopausal women. The results of the present study showed that E(2) significantly increased the membrane fluidity and improved the microviscosity of erythrocyte membranes, partially mediated by an NO- and cGMP-dependent pathway. Furthermore, the greater action of E(2) in hypertension might be consistent with the hypothesis that E(2) could have a beneficial effect in regulating rheological behavior of erythrocytes and could have a crucial role in the improvement of the microcirculation in hypertension.     

中国汉族人血管紧张素转换酶基因I/D多态性与原发性高血压的关系

目的探讨ＡＣＥ基因Ｉ／Ｄ多态性在中国汉族人群分布规律及与原发性高血压（ＥＨ）的关系。方法取汉族ＥＨ病人１２１例，对照组９５人外周血，提取ＤＮＡ，应用ＰＣＲ技术进行ＡＣＥ基因Ｉ／Ｄ分型。结果在汉族血压正常群体中，ＡＣＥ基因Ｉ／Ｄ多态ＤＤ、ＤＩ、Ｉ基因型频率分别为２２％，４８％和３０％，其Ｄ和Ｉ等位基因频率分别为４６％和５４％。Ｉ／Ｄ多态分布符合Ｈａｒｄｙ－Ｗｅｉｎｂｅｒｇ定律，达到遗传平衡，具有群体代表性。ＥＨ组与正常组相比，基因型和等位基因分布均具有显著统计学差异（Ｐ＜０．０５），ＥＨ组ＤＤ基因型和Ｄ等位基因频率增加。结论汉族ＥＨ发病与ＡＣＥ基因Ｉ／Ｄ多态性相关联，基因型ＤＤ和等位基因Ｄ可能是ＥＨ发病的易患因素     

White-coat hypertension and sex

OBJECTIVES: To compare, by sex, selected behavioral and biologic characteristics among normotensive, white-coat hypertensive, and essential hypertensive patients, and to assess the similarities and differences in these characteristics between men and women diagnosed as having white-coat hypertension. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 764 men (80 normotensives, 112 white-coat hypertensives, and 572 essential hypertensives) and 442 women (53 normotensives, 81 white-coat hypertensives and 308 essential hypertensives) who were a nonrandom subset of a larger cohort of patients being assessed to determine the prognostic significance of ambulatory blood pressure measurements. Physician-measured technician-measured and ambulatory (average awake and asleep) blood pressures, daytime blood pressure variability, the difference between awake and sleeping blood pressures, cholesterol levels, plasma renin activity (PRA) and anthropometric and demographic characteristics were compared across the patient classifications within each sex group and between male and female white-coat hypertensives using one-way analysis of variance. Student's t tests and chi squared analysis. RESULTS: Among men, cholesterol levels of normotensives were significantly lower than those of either white-coat or essential hypertensives (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). White-coat hypertensives were significantly younger than the essential hypertensives. The ambulatory and technician-measured blood pressures of the white-coat hypertensives were similar to those of the normotensives, as were most measures of variability of blood pressure. Among women, there were no differences in cholesterol level; however, white-coat hypertensives had lower PRA than did the essential hypertensives (P < 0.01) In contrast to the men, women with white-coat hypertension were similar in age to those with essential hypertension, and 10 years older than normotensives (P < 0.01). The ambulatory blood pressures of white-coat hypertensives were similar to those of normotensives, but their technician-measured blood pressures were intermediate between those of the normotensive and essential hypertensive groups. The daily variability of diastolic blood pressure among the white-coat-hypertensive women was greater than that of the normotensive women and similar to that of the essential hypertensive women. For all other measures of variability, data for white-coat-hypertensive women were similar to those for the normotensive women. There was no anthropometric or demographic difference among the patients either for men or for women. White-coat-hypertensive women were older than white-coat-hypertensive men and had higher systolic blood pressures and variabilities of blood pressure (P < 0.05). They also had lower PRA. CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with the ideas that the phenomenon of white-coat hypertension is similar for the two sexes, women may exhibit white-coat hypertension at a greater age than do men, and women with white-coat hypertension may further exhibit a broader white-coat effect, reflected in blood pressures measured by other medical personnel.     

Does gender affect the association between right ventricular strain and arterial hypertension?

The importance of right ventricular (RV) structure and function in cardiovascular and total morbidity and mortality has been confirmed previously. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of gender on RV structure and function in untreated hypertensive patients. This cross‐sectional study included 243 subjects who underwent 24‐hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring and comprehensive echocardiographic examination including strain evaluation. There was no difference in RV diameter between hypertensive and normotensive women and men. RV wall thickness, right atrial volume index (RAVI), and tricuspid E/e’ ratio were significantly higher in hypertensive women and men than in their normotensive counterparts. RV global longitudinal and RV free wall longitudinal strains were significantly lower in hypertensive women and men than in their normotensive counterparts. Arterial hypertension affected RV wall thickness, RAVI, tricuspid E/e’, and RV longitudinal strain. Gender affected RV diameter, RAVI, tricuspid E/e’, and RV longitudinal strain, whereas hypertension‐gender interaction affected RAVI, E/e’, and RV longitudinal strain. The 24‐hour systolic BP and LV mass index were independently associated with RV free wall longitudinal strain. RV wall thickness was independently associated with RV free wall longitudinal strain only in women, and tricuspid E/e’ was independently associated only in men. In conclusion, RV longitudinal strain was significantly decreased in hypertensive patients in both sexes. Hypertensive men suffered more evident RV mechanical changes than hypertensive women. Gender, arterial hypertension, and their interaction had the important role in RV structural and mechanical remodeling.     

Sex steroid hormones are altered in essential hypertension

Little is known about the relationship between blood pressure and endogenous sex steroid hormones in patients with essential hypertension. Studies in hypertensive men have described decreased androgens. Men with cardiovascular disease may have estrogen levels which are increased or similar to healthy controls. We measured selected sex steroid hormones in 24 medication-free patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension (diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 90 mmHg) and 24 normotensive subjects. The groups were equally divided by race, gender, age and weight. Hypertensive men had lower levels of both free and total testosterone and androstenedione than controls. The converse was true for hypertensive women. Androgen levels were similar in blacks and whites regardless of gender or blood pressure. Estradiol levels were higher in hypertensive men and women than controls and in blacks than whites. Levels of luteinizing hormone and sex hormone binding globulin were similar in all subjects. The clinical and pathophysiological significance of our findings merits further investigation.     

Combined effects of gender and hypertension on the geometric design of large arteries. Sexual differences in normal and hypertensive forearm arteries

The effects of sex, hypertension, morphologic status, and heart rate were assessed on the large arteries of 46 normotensive subjects (23 men and 23 women) and 50 hypertensive patients (25 men and 25 women) by means of pulsed Doppler determination of diameter and blood velocity of the brachial artery. Compared to men, women had lower height, weight, and forearm volume (P less than 0.001), higher heart rate (P less than 0.001), and lower brachial artery diameter (P less than 0.001) both in the normotensive and hypertensive groups. Compared to normotensives, hypertensives of the same sex showed an increase in brachial artery diameter, only significant in men (P less than 0.001), and an increase in heart rate, only significant in women (P less than 0.001). The multiple regression analysis of brachial artery diameter showed significant coefficients for sex and hypertension (P less than 0.001), and for age and heart rate (P less than 0.05); the multiple regression analysis of blood velocity showed that only the coefficient of hypertension was significant (P less than 0.05). The study of first-order interactions between the independent variables revealed that effect of sex on arterial diameter did not depend on the other variables. In contrast the effects of age and heart rate were influenced by the presence or the absence of hypertension, and arterial caliber was positively related to age in normotensive subjects (P less than 0.05) but not in hypertensive patients, and negatively related to heart rate in hypertensive patients (P less than 0.001) but not in normotensive subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Sympathetic nerve hyperactivity of essential hypertension is lower in postmenopausal women than men

Sympathetic activation has been associated with the development and complications of hypertension. While the prevalence of hypertension and its cardiovascular risks in women are found to be less than in men and tend to become similar to men after the menopause, there have been no data on the level of sympathetic activation in postmenopausal women relative to men. Therefore, we planned to find out whether muscle sympathetic nerve hyperactivity of essential hypertension (EHT) in postmenopausal women is different from that in matched men. We quantified muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) as mean frequency of single units (s-MSNA) and multiunit bursts (b-MSNA) in 21 postmenopausal women with EHT (W-EHT) relative to 21 matched men with EHT (M-EHT), in comparison to two control groups of 21 normal women (W-NC) and 21 men (M-NC), respectively. The EHT groups had greater MSNA indices than NC groups. W-EHT had lower (P<0.05) s-MSNA (63+/-22.7 impulses per 100 cardiac beats) than M-EHT (78+/-11.2 impulses per 100 cardiac beats). W-NC had lower (P<0.05) s-MSNA (53+/-12.4 impulses per 100 cardiac beats) than M-NC (65+/-16.3 impulses per 100 cardiac beats). Similar results were obtained for b-MSNA. Postmenopausal women with EHT had lower level of central sympathetic hyperactivity than men. Similarly, normal postmenopausal women had lower MSNA than men. These findings suggest that postmenopausal women continue to have a lower sympathetic nerve activity than men even after the development of EHT, and that this could have implications for gender-specific management of hypertension.