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Sex-Specific Mechanisms in Inflammation and Hypertension

  • Inflammation and Cardiovascular Diseases (A Kirabo, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Hypertension Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Despite enhanced screening and therapeutic management, hypertension remains the most prevalent chronic disease in the United States and the leading cause of heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and stroke in both men and women. It is widely accepted that hypertension is a pro-inflammatory disease and that the immune system plays a vital role in mediating hypertensive outcomes and end organ damage. Despite known discrepancies in the risk of hypertension development between men and women, preclinical models of immune-mediated hypertension were historically developed solely in male animals, leading to a lack of sex-specific clinical practice guidelines or therapeutic targets.

Recent Findings

Following the NIH policy on the consideration of sex as a biological variable in 2015, significant advancements have been made into sex-specific disease mechanisms in inflammation and hypertension.

Summary

This review article serves to critically evaluate recent advancements in the field of sex-specific immune-mediated hypertension.

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Funding

This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health Grants HL131834 (H.L.B) and T32HL007249 (M.S.)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, 1656 E. Mabel St/Rm 417, P.O. Box 245218, Tucson, AZ, 85724-5218, USA

    Megan A. Sylvester & Heddwen L. Brooks

  2. Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Heddwen L. Brooks

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  1. Megan A. Sylvester
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  2. Heddwen L. Brooks
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Correspondence to Heddwen L. Brooks.

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Sylvester, M.A., Brooks, H.L. Sex-Specific Mechanisms in Inflammation and Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep 21, 53 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-019-0959-2

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