Gender Differences in the Activity of the Autonomic Nervous Systems of Healthy and Hypertensive Patients in Russia

Abstract

Objective: Evaluation of the gender difference in the activity of the autonomic nervous systems of healthy and hypertensive patients in Russia. Materials and Methods: The methods of heart rate variability (HRV) and gas discharge visualization (GDV or electrophotonic Imaging/EPI) were used to assess subjects. Analysis of data from 138 patients with different stages of arterial hypertension, aged 20 to 70 years, and 37 healthy ones was carried out. Results: The differences in the activity of the autonomic nervous system in men and women, both healthy subjects and those suffering from arterial hypertension were detected. The offset of autonomic balance toward the predominance of the sympathetic nervous system was observed in most healthy men and women suffering from arterial hypertension, regardless of their age. Conclusion: The difference in parameters was not due to hyperactivity of the sympathetic center, but due to a lower parasympathetic activity. For the majority of hypertensive and healthy women, the autonomic balance shifted toward predominance of the parasympathetic nervous system.