Intensive blood pressure management has similar benefits for men and women

Recently, an NIH-funded research study called the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) demonstrated benefits of intensive lowering of systolic blood pressure to a goal of less than 120 mm Hg versus the standard target of less than 140 mm Hg. Specifically, intensive blood pressure management reduced complications of high blood pressure—including heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke—by 25 percent and lowered the risk of death by 27 percent in adults aged 50 years or older with high blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. New research shows that the effects of intensive lowering of systolic blood pressure on cardiovascular, renal, and safety outcomes did not differ significantly between male and female SPRINT participants over a three-year follow-up period. The study, which was partly funded by NHLBI and published in the Journal of Hypertension, provides additional evidence supporting intensive blood pressure management in both men and women.