Abstract-Blood pressure increases in many women after menopause. Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms responsible for the postmenopausal increase in blood pressure are yet to be elucidated. Various humoral systems have been proposed to play a role in postmenopausal hypertension, such as changes in estrogen/androgen ratios, increases in endothelin and oxidative stress, and activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). In addition, obesity, type II diabetes, and activation of the sympathetic nervous system are common in postmenopausal women and may also play important roles. However, progress in elucidating the mechanisms responsible for postmenopausal hypertension has been hampered by the lack of a suitable animal model. The aging female spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) exhibits many of the characteristics found in postmenopausal women. In this review, some of the possible mechanisms that could play a role in postmenopausal hypertension are discussed, as well as the characteristics of the aged female SHR as a model to study. Key Words: endothelin Ⅲ renin-angiotensin system Ⅲ oxidative stress Ⅲ obesity Ⅲ diabetes mellitus Ⅲ sympathetic nervous system B efore menopause, blood pressure is typically lower in women than in age-matched men. 1 In aging men and women, systolic and diastolic blood pressures increase, although in later years the diastolic plateaus or even declines. [1][2][3] However, in postmenopausal women, the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk increases regardless of ethnic origin. Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) showed that in Hispanic women and non-Hispanic black women, the prevalence of hypertension was similar to, or higher than, that in men by age 60 years. 4 In non-Hispanic white populations, the prevalence of hypertension was higher in women than in men by age 70 years. 4 The increase in blood pressure in postmenopausal women does not occur as soon as the ovary becomes senescent, but rather over a number of years. 5 The mechanisms responsible for the increased blood pressure in women after menopause are not known. This review focuses on the use of the spontaneously hypertensive rat as a model of postmenopausal hypertension and evaluates the possible mechanistic roles of the sex hormones, oxidative stress, endothelin, renin-angiotensin system (RAS), weight gain, and sympathetic activation in postmenopausal hypertension. Animal Model for the Study of Postmenopausal HypertensionThe elucidation of mechanisms responsible for postmenopausal hypertension has been stunted by lack of an animal model. Sheep, rabbits, nonhuman primates, rats, and mice have been used as models of various menopausal changes; 6 however, to our knowledge, there is no animal model of naturally occurring postmenopausal hypertension. There have been attempts to mimic menopause by ovariectomizing animals; 7,8 however, these have rarely taken into account the effect of aging and cessation of ova...

Abstract-Blood pressure (BP) increases in postmenopausal women. The mechanisms responsible are unknown. The present study was performed to characterize a model of postmenopausal hypertension in the rat and to determine the role that oxidative stress may play in mediating the postmenopausal hypertension. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were ovariectomized (ovx) or left intact (PMR) at 8 months and were aged to 18 months. These animals were compared with young females (YF; 4 or 8 months of age) and old males (18 months) for some measurements. Estradiol levels were decreased in PMR rats to levels not different from YF rats in proestrous or from old males. BP increased progressively with age in PMR rats but not in ovx or male rats, such that the gender difference in hypertension disappeared by 18 months. Glomerular filtration rate was lower in ovx and PMR rats than in YF rats. Renal plasma flow and renal vascular resistance were similar between YF and ovx rats, but lower and higher, respectively, in PMR rats. Serum testosterone increased by 60% in ovx rats and 400% in PMR rats compared with YF rats. Plasma renin activity also increased in PMR rats but not in ovx rats. Chronic treatment (for 8 months beginning at 8 months of age) of PMR rats with vitamins E and C, but not tempol, resulted in a significant reduction in BP and excretion of F 2 -isoprostanes. In contrast, tempol, but not vitamins E and C, reduced BP in old males. These data suggest that the PMR rats, but not ovx rats, may be a suitable model for the study of postmenopausal hypertension, and that oxidative stress plays a role in the increased BP. Key Words: women Ⅲ menopause Ⅲ oxidative stress Ⅲ hormones Ⅲ renin-angiotensin system Ⅲ nitric oxide B lood pressure (BP) increases after menopause in women such that the prevalence of hypertension becomes higher in women than in men. 1 The postmenopausal increase in BP does not occur as soon as the ovary stops producing estradiol, but occurs over a period of 5 to 10 years. The mechanisms responsible for the postmenopausal increase in BP are not known.Many factors have been suggested to play a role in the increased BP in postmenopausal women (PMW). For example, activation of renin-angiotensin system has been implied by data showing that plasma renin activity (PRA) was increased in PMW compared with premenopausal women. 2 An increase in angiotensin (Ang) II would not only cause vasoconstriction but also influence sodium reabsorption to increase BP. Another factor that could impact BP is NO. Oxidative stress has also been shown to be increased in PMW. 3 Ang II is known to cause increases in superoxide production, 4 and NO is scavenged by superoxide. 5,6 This is a mechanism by which the renin-angiotensin system and NO could interact to increase BP. Furthermore, oxidants, such as peroxynitrite, which is formed from superoxide and NO, has been shown to cause increases in vasoconstrictors and reductions in vasodilators. 7 One problem with the study of postmenopausal hypertension has been the lack of a suitable animal ...