Relationship Between Androgen Levels and Blood Pressure in Young Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

June 2007 in “ Hypertension ”

Mei-Jou Chen, Wei Yang, Jyh-Chin Yang, Chi Ling Chen, Hong Nerng Ho, Yu Shih Yang

TLDR High androgen levels in young women with PCOS are linked to higher blood pressure.

The study investigated 151 young Taiwanese women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and found a significant correlation between androgen levels, specifically the free androgen index (FAI) and total testosterone, and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP). After adjusting for variables such as age, BMI, and other metabolic and hormonal factors, high levels of serum FAI or total testosterone were independently related to increased SBP and DBP. Women with high bioavailable testosterone levels had a 3.817 times higher risk of elevated blood pressure. The study concluded that hyperandrogenemia in young women with PCOS is associated with elevated blood pressure, suggesting that managing hyperandrogenism might be important for preventing cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

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