Statistically, high blood pressure in women is not as common as high blood pressure in men, but there is no medical evidence for this. Therefore, like men, women also need to be aware of the various aspects associated with the problem of hypertension, preventive strategies, and treatment options. Recent researches have found a strong link between birth control pills and hypertension in women.

Gestational hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that women may have to suffer during pregnancy days. Men and women suffer less during younger age from high blood pressure because of the effect of estrogen. In case of women, the levels of estrogen may decrease greatly during menopause, which elevates high blood pressure risk.

Blood pressure refers to the force created by the heart when it pushes blood into the arteries and the circulatory system. The blood flows through the arteries and then into the arterioles. When the blood flows through the arterioles, they either contract or expand. This movement of contraction and expansion of arterioles is responsible for altering the amount of blood flow and resistance to blood flow. If the arterioles remain in a contracted form, they will exert greater resistance to blood flow, and this is what leads to high blood pressure. This means that the heart will have to pump harder.

Another related disease that women might suffer from is Type 2 diabetes. It is a chronic disease, which is progressive. It is the most common form of the disease, occurring in 90% of all diabetic patients. It usually affects persons who are overweight, who have had gestational diabetes, have a family history of the disease, and adults over 45 years. People who lead a sedentary life and have diets rich in fat are prone to this ailment. However, it may also occur in thin persons.