Women Show Better BP Control With Lower Med Doses Than Men

TOPLINE:

In a study of 14,384 patients with hypertension presenting to primary care centers, women and men received similar numbers of antihypertensive medications but different dosages and types, with women prescribed lower daily doses. Despite receiving lower doses, women achieved better blood pressure (BP) control than men.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers evaluated sex-related differences in prescription patterns of BP-lowering medications among women and men with hypertension in Dutch primary care who were free from cardiovascular comorbidities and diabetes.
• They analyzed the data of 14,384 patients aged 18 years or older (59.8% women) who were prescribed at least one antihypertensive medication for more than 30 days.
• The assessment focused on sex-related differences in the number of prescribed drugs, defined daily dosage, type of antihypertensive medication, and BP control.

TAKEAWAY:

• Women and men were prescribed an average of 1.8 antihypertensive agents per day, but women received a significantly lower defined daily dosage than men (1.8 vs 2.1; P < .001).
• Women were more frequently prescribed beta-blockers and diuretics and received fewer prescriptions of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium channel blockers than men (P < .001 for all).
• A higher proportion of women achieved BP control than men (54.5% vs 49.8%, P < .001).

IN PRACTICE:

“These findings highlight the importance of considering sex-specific factors in hypertension management, suggesting that clinicians may need to tailor treatment strategies more closely to optimize outcomes for both sexes,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Elisa Dal Canto of the Department of General Practice & Nursing Science, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. It was published online on February 20, 2025, in BJGP Open.

LIMITATIONS:

The researchers relied on a single BP measurement per patient for analyses, which may not have fully captured the variability and led to some misclassification. Additionally, the study lacked data on medication adherence, a crucial factor in determining treatment efficacy that could potentially explain some of the observed differences in BP control between men and women.

DISCLOSURES:

This study did not receive any funding. The authors declared not having any conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.