This enables the measuring accuracy of the blood pressure watch to be increased by more than 70 per cent. Clinical trials of the device are currently under way. The first measurements have already been taken in parallel with a catheter procedure - with very promising results.
After menopause, a woman's risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases increases greatly; the risk increases significantly faster for women after hysterectomy, perhaps because the uterus produces chemicals that help regulate blood pressure.
Up to age 64, males had higher rates of hypertension than females, while at 65 and older females' high blood pressure rates exceeded that of males (Chart 2). This is consistent with the known increased risk of developing high blood pressure experienced by women as hormone levels decrease during menopause.