To investigate gender differences in the risk factors and awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension.

The subjects were selected among local residents aged ≥18 years old, by multi-stage stratified-random sampling method. All participants were accepted physical examinations including blood tests for lipids, fasting blood glucose, 2h blood glucose and physical measurements for obesity and blood pressure in the year 2010.

Totally 17 437 subjects were finally included in the study, in which 5 227 were with hypertension. Diastolic blood pressure levels were higher in male hypertension patients[male: (89±10)mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa); female: (87±10)mmHg], while systolic blood pressure levels were higher in females[male: (143±17)mmHg; female: (146±17)mmHg]. The prevalence of hypertension in the younger than 60 years people were higher in males (male: 23.86%, 1 386/5 808; female: 19.98%, 1 406/7 037), and in the older than that age people the prevalence were much higher in females (male: 49.30%, 1 164/2 361; female: 56.97%, 1 271/2 231). Female patients were with higher awareness than males (male: 51.73%, 1 319/2 550; female: 56.82%, 1 521/2 677). The male patients had a higher proportion of having more amount of time in resting (≥2 h/d), smoking and drinking compared with the females(P<0.05); while the female patients had a higher proportion of history of diabetes, WC anomalies, total cholesterol abnormalities, exercise frequency(≥1/week)than those in the males(P<0.05).

Risk factors for hypertension differ by gender. It seems better that male patients limit alcohol drinking, while female patients should control their weight and waist circumference, and lower blood lipids through exercise intervention. (Chin J Endocrinol Metab, 2016, 32: 922-927)

Hypertension; Risk factors; Gender differences