Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb

Abstract Despite the vasculature's role in long‐term blood pressure (BP) regulation, limited work exists on vascular baroreflex function. This study focused on hypothesized age and sex differences in the vascular‐sympathetic baroreflex limb and explored the role of hormone replacement therapy (...

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Main Authors: Darcianne K. Watanabe, Suzi Hong, DeWayne P. Williams, Jordan Kohn, Julian Koenig, Gustavo A. Reyes del Paso, Julian F. Thayer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Physiological Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70413
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author Darcianne K. Watanabe
Suzi Hong
DeWayne P. Williams
Jordan Kohn
Julian Koenig
Gustavo A. Reyes del Paso
Julian F. Thayer
author_facet Darcianne K. Watanabe
Suzi Hong
DeWayne P. Williams
Jordan Kohn
Julian Koenig
Gustavo A. Reyes del Paso
Julian F. Thayer
author_sort Darcianne K. Watanabe
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Despite the vasculature's role in long‐term blood pressure (BP) regulation, limited work exists on vascular baroreflex function. This study focused on hypothesized age and sex differences in the vascular‐sympathetic baroreflex limb and explored the role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Resting cardiac and hemodynamic measures were recorded. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and baroreflex effectiveness (BEI) were calculated for each baroreflex limb (cardiac, myocardial, and vascular). In younger adults, women had significantly lower SBP, total peripheral resistance (TPR), and vascular‐BEI than men (r's > 0.245, p's < 0.012). In older adults with managed‐hypertension, post‐menopausal women had significantly higher SBP, TPR, and vBEI, than men (r's > 0.228, p's < 0.018), while younger women had significantly higher vBRS (r's > 0.199, p's < 0.027) and lower TPR (r's > 0.281, p's < 0.002). Younger men showed significantly higher vascular‐BRS and vascular‐BEI (r's > 0.318, p's < 0.002), higher TPR and TPR‐variability (r's > 0.314, p ≤ 0.003), and lower SBP (r's > 0.295, p's < 0.005) than older men. Compared to non‐HRT women, HRT‐women had only significantly lower SBP (r = 0.243, p = 0.035). We provide the first evidence of age and sex differences in vascular baroreflex‐mediated BP control using the sequence method.
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spelling doaj-art-95553d7170f04e30b59d0418b2e9cab22025-08-20T03:28:01ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-06-011312n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70413Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limbDarcianne K. Watanabe0Suzi Hong1DeWayne P. Williams2Jordan Kohn3Julian Koenig4Gustavo A. Reyes del Paso5Julian F. Thayer6School of Social Ecology University of California Irvine Irvine California USAHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine University of California San Diego La Jolla California USADepartment of Psychological Science University of California Irvine Irvine California USAHerbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine University of California San Diego La Jolla California USADepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne University of Cologne Cologne GermanyDepartment of Psychology University of Jaén Jaén SpainDepartment of Psychological Science University of California Irvine Irvine California USAAbstract Despite the vasculature's role in long‐term blood pressure (BP) regulation, limited work exists on vascular baroreflex function. This study focused on hypothesized age and sex differences in the vascular‐sympathetic baroreflex limb and explored the role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Resting cardiac and hemodynamic measures were recorded. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and baroreflex effectiveness (BEI) were calculated for each baroreflex limb (cardiac, myocardial, and vascular). In younger adults, women had significantly lower SBP, total peripheral resistance (TPR), and vascular‐BEI than men (r's > 0.245, p's < 0.012). In older adults with managed‐hypertension, post‐menopausal women had significantly higher SBP, TPR, and vBEI, than men (r's > 0.228, p's < 0.018), while younger women had significantly higher vBRS (r's > 0.199, p's < 0.027) and lower TPR (r's > 0.281, p's < 0.002). Younger men showed significantly higher vascular‐BRS and vascular‐BEI (r's > 0.318, p's < 0.002), higher TPR and TPR‐variability (r's > 0.314, p ≤ 0.003), and lower SBP (r's > 0.295, p's < 0.005) than older men. Compared to non‐HRT women, HRT‐women had only significantly lower SBP (r = 0.243, p = 0.035). We provide the first evidence of age and sex differences in vascular baroreflex‐mediated BP control using the sequence method.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70413hemodynamics of blood pressurehormone replacement therapyhypertensiontotal peripheral resistancevascular baroreflex sensitivity
spellingShingle Darcianne K. Watanabe
Suzi Hong
DeWayne P. Williams
Jordan Kohn
Julian Koenig
Gustavo A. Reyes del Paso
Julian F. Thayer
Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
Physiological Reports
hemodynamics of blood pressure
hormone replacement therapy
hypertension
total peripheral resistance
vascular baroreflex sensitivity
title Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
title_full Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
title_fullStr Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
title_full_unstemmed Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
title_short Age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation: A focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
title_sort age and sex differences in blood pressure regulation a focus on the vascular baroreflex limb
topic hemodynamics of blood pressure
hormone replacement therapy
hypertension
total peripheral resistance
vascular baroreflex sensitivity
url https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70413
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