No sex differences in the cardiovascular response to mental-stress in older adults

Mental stress elicits increases in blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness, the magnitude of which is subject to sex differences. Women tend to have blunted increases in BP compared to men that are driven by cardiac excitation, rather than changes in peripheral resistance. These sex differences have primarily been documented in younger, pre-menopausal women, and through the measurement of peripheral (i.e. brachial) BP, which may differ from responses in the central vasculature (i.e. carotid artery).
Source: Artery Research - Category: Cardiology Authors: Source Type: research