A new study from the University of Bologna highlights a serious health concern for women with high blood pressure who have never had heart disease.
Published in the journal Hypertension, the research found that women taking beta-blockers—a common medication for managing high blood pressure—face a nearly 5% higher risk of developing heart failure than men in similar health conditions, particularly after experiencing acute coronary syndromes.
Acute coronary syndromes are serious heart conditions caused by a sudden decrease in blood flow to the heart. Beta-blockers are widely prescribed to lower blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.
The study examined whether the effects of these drugs differ between men and women who have high blood pressure but no previous history of heart disease, especially following acute coronary events.
The research analyzed data from 13,764 adults across 12 European countries, all with hypertension but no prior heart disease. Participants were grouped by gender and whether they were on beta-blocker therapy.
Key findings include:
– Women taking beta-blockers had a 4.6% higher chance of being hospitalized with heart failure compared to men when faced with acute coronary syndrome.
– Mortality rates for those who developed heart failure were about seven times higher than for those who had a heart attack without heart failure.
– Women with a severe heart attack known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)—where a coronary artery is completely blocked—were 6.1% more likely to develop heart failure than men with the same condition.
– Men and women not taking beta-blockers had roughly the same rates of heart failure.
The researchers stress the importance of managing blood pressure through lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise, especially for women without a history of heart disease.
They also noted that beta-blocker use combined with hormone replacement therapy might increase the risk of heart failure in women, although this was not the main focus of the study.
The study calls for a more personalized approach to hypertension treatment, taking gender differences into account. Further research is needed to better understand these differences and to ensure blood pressure treatments are both safe and effective for everyone.
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