Congress Reports

American Society of Hypertension
21st Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition
Characterizing the Hypertension Phenotype
Hilton New York, New York City
Tuesday, May 16 - Saturday, May 20, 2006
 
 
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Female sexual dysfunction and high blood pressure linked

A study from Greece found that female sexual dysfunction (FSD) was more prevalent in women with hypertension, compared to women with normal blood pressure, and that age and duration of hypertension were significant predictors of FSD. The study was presented by Dr. Michael Doumas, University of Athens, at the 21st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension and reported in a press release by the society.

Women with hypertension had about a 2-fold increase in FSD compared to women with normotension (42.1% vs 19.4%, respectively; p<0.01). Sexual dysfunction rates gradually increased in older versus younger hypertensive women, and that the longer a woman had hypertension the more likely she was to experience sexual dysfunction.

Caucasian women aged 31 to 60 years with (n=216) and without (n=201) hypertension who were sexually active completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. FSD was defined as an FSFI score of less than 25.5, according to the recently reported cut-off score.

Specific findings in women with hypertension were:

  • FSD more frequent in treated versus untreated women (47.8% vs 32.5%, respectively)
  • Significantly higher prevalence of FSD in women with uncontrolled hypertension (51.8%) versus 27.2% in women with controlled hypertension.
  • FSD rates increased with age: 21.2% in women aged 31-40 years; 37.7% in women aged 41-50 years; and 56.8% in women aged 51-60 years (p<0.001).
  • FSD rates increased with the duration of diabetes: < 3 years duration was 15.7%, 3-6 years was 32.9%, and > 6 years was 78.6% (p<0.001).

“These findings are significant because although hypertension affects more than 20 percent of the general population, and is a known risk factor for male sexual dysfunction, there have been no definite data on a relation between sexual dysfunction and hypertension in women. Internists and general practitioners are in a unique position to properly recognize FSD and help women facing these intimate problems, since many women with chronic conditions exhibit sexual dysfunction. Quality of life is very important to overall health, thus it is of utmost importance for internists and general practitioners to become familiar with FSD and routinely address it with their hypertensive patients,” said Doumas.

 
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