What question did this study set out to answer?

The review aims to summarize how physical exercise can manage arterial hypertension in women, addressing gender-specific factors.

February 28, 2026Open Access

Role of physical exercise for the management of arterial hypertension in women

Key Result

Physical exercise is a powerful, cost-effective treatment for hypertension in women but sex-specific exercise guidelines and better adherence strategies are urgently needed.

Key Points

The review aims to summarize how physical exercise can manage arterial hypertension in women, addressing gender-specific factors.
Reviewed existing literature on exercise and hypertension in women.
Focused on scenarios including pregnancy, menopause, and breast cancer.
Analyzed gender-related differences in exercise adherence and cardiovascular adaptations.
Highlighted the cardiovascular risks women face due to hypertension compared to men.
Identified a significant gender gap in adherence to exercise protocols.
Called for sex-specific exercise recommendations for women with or at risk of hypertension.

Structured PICO

Does physical exercise improve the management of arterial hypertension in women?

Population

Women with arterial hypertension or at risk of arterial hypertension, including specific scenarios such as pregnancy, menopause, and breast cancer

Intervention

Physical exercise

This review underscores the critical need for sex-specific exercise recommendations and tailored protocols to effectively manage hypertension in women across different life stages.

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%

Abstract

Arterial hypertension (HTN) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population, with significant sex and gender-related pathophysiological differences. Women face higher cardiovascular (CV) risk and unfavorable CV remodeling associated with HTN, as compared with men, and have specific risk factors for the development of HTN, i.e. reproductive factors and breast cancer status. Physical exercise (PE) represents a powerful, cost-effective, non-pharmacological treatment for the primary and secondary prevention of HTN. In this regard, much evidence highlighted the potential gender-related differences in terms of exercise-related CV adaptations, along with a significant gender gap concerning adherence to exercise protocols that is significantly lower in women for all age groups worldwide. However, to date, there are no specific, sex-focused recommendations in terms of exercise training in the female population with HTN or at risk of HTN. Given these premises, our review aims to summarize the role of exercise in the management of HTN in women, with a specific focus on pregnancy, menopause and breast cancer scenarios, as well as on cardiac rehabilitation. Our purpose is to underline the need for more sex-specific data to explore the best exercise protocols tailored on each participant’s characteristics, to get the greatest benefit and to improve adherence to exercise protocols.