Sex Differences in Blood Pressure Response to Antihypertensive Therapy in Chinese Patients with Hypertension

Background:Sex-specific responsos to antihypertensive drugs are not very well understood.Objective:To investigate sex-related differences in blood pressure response to antihypertensive drugs in a community-based prospective clinical trial.Methods:We recruited 3535 untreated hypertensive patients (2326 women), aged 40–75 years, from 7 rural communities in China. Subjects were randomized to 1 of 4 drug groups: atenolol, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), captopril, or sustained-released nifedipine; duration of the study was 8 weeks. Mean blood pressure reduction, blood pressure control rates, and frequency of adverse events were compared between men and women.Results:Women had a better response to HCTZ in relation to diastolic blood pressure (1.8 mm Hg lower) than did men (p <0.05) and were 57% more likely to reach the control goal of diastolic blood pressure than were men (p <0.05). In the atenolol group, mean systolic blood pressure decreased 3.9 mm Hg more in women than in men (p <0.05), and women were 65% more...