Not just a male problem: Women pay a high price for high blood pressure

For females in their 40s and older, elevated blood pressure levels can double the risk of a heart attack in later life

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RATES of raised blood pressure in Ireland are among the highest internationally, but while it has traditionally been considered a male problem, hypertension holds particular risks for women.

A study involving more than 525,000 people aged 40-80 analysed 123 national surveys conducted over the past 40 years, found that 43% of Irish women had raised blood pressure, ranking them fourth in the tables published in the Lancet. For women in their 40s and older, raised blood pressure comes with the stark warning that it could double the risk of a heart attack in later life.