Hematocrit and mean arterial blood pressure in pre- and postmenopause women

Abstract

The relationship between mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and hematocrit (Hct) was studied in pre- and postmenopause women in the city of Durango, Mexico. Premenopause women show a negative trend between parameters that is not statistically significant. MAP and Hct are directly related in postmenopause women (p < 0.01). It is proposed that that this MAP/Hct relationship is in part due to differences in endothelial function where menopause decreases the capacity of the endothelium to respond to increased blood viscosity and shears stress, leading to the increased production of vasodilator mediators to compensate for changes in blood viscosity due to changes in Hct. Comparison with a large group of postmenopause women in the city of Stockholm showed identical trends.

Keywords:

• menopause
• endothelial dysfunction
• blood viscosity
• blood pressure
• hematocrit

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from FOMIX M006-2007-1/CONACYT clave 66638 (México) and Bioengineering Research Partnership grant R24-HL64395 and USPHS grants R01-HL62354 and R01-HL62318 (US). The 60-year-old cohort study was supported by grants from the Stockholm County Council, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation and FAS. The authors thank Gunnel Gråbergs who processed the data from the 60-year-old cohorts before statistical analyses were undertaken. The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.