Sexual dimorphism of blood pressure: possible role of the renin-angiotensin system.

The prevalence of hypertension in men is higher than in women and the onset of this disease is earlier in male than in female subjects. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, males also have higher blood pressures than females. Evidence from epidemiological, physiological, molecular biological and morphological studies concerning this sexual dimorphism is reviewed. We demonstrate that the gonadal steroids testosterone and estrogen have important effects on the gene regulation of the renin-angiotensin system. This may in part contribute to the sexual dimorphism in blood pressure control. The direct effect of steroid hormones on genes related to hypertension provides a suitable paradigm to improve our understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular control.