Effects of sex,age, weight,and heredity on blood pressure in baboons

Using data on a population of 498 pedigreed baboons, the effects of several covariates, including sex, age, weight, and subspecies, on arterial blood pressures were studied. Females had significantly higher systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure than males. Both systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures increased significantly with increasing weight, and for diastolic pressure, the increase was significantly greater in females than in males. Systolic arterial blood pressure significantly decreased with increasing age and the decrease was larger in males. There were significant differences in arterial blood pressures that corresponded with degree of subspecies admixture. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.