New research reveals women’s blood pressure rises more rapidly than men’s over the course of their lives.

And researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center say that may explain why later-life cardiovascular diseases tend to manifest differently in women than men.

The scientists analysed blood pressure measurements collected over 43 years for almost 33,000 participants and compared it with their baseline blood pressure.

They found that certain vascular changes not only develop earlier, but also progress faster in women than in men.

The research is considered important because by recognizing the difference in trajectory of blood pressure between men and women, more can be done to optimize prevention and management efforts of cardiovascular disease that are gender specific.