Hypertension in peri- and postmenopausal women — pathophysiological mechanisms and approaches to treatment

Abstract

This review presents epidemiological data on the effect of sex hormones and reproductive status on the level of blood pressure (BP) and the incidence of es­sential hypertension (EHT) in women. The role of estrogen deprivation and hyper­androgenism in the development of EHT in peri- and postmenopause is discussed. The main mechanisms of EHT in periand postmenopausal women: sympathetic and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system hyperactivity, salt-sensitivity, high prevalence of abdominal obesity, metabolic syndrome, left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial dilatation and high risk of atrial fibrillation, stroke and heart failure with preserved left ventricle ejection fraction. Data on the efficacy and tolerability of the main classes of antihypertensive drugs in women is presented. We discussed the mechanisms of selective I1-imidazoline receptor agonists and the results of cohort studies of moxonidine monotherapy and its combination with other antihypertensive drugs and hormonal menopausal therapy in peri- and post­menopausal women. Moxonidine reduces high blood pressure in peri- and postmenopausal women and has a beneficial effect on metabolic syndrome components, but is also effective in patients with hypertensive crises, especially with sympathetic hyperactivity.