Recent studies have demonstrated that fractional pulse pressure and fractional diastolic pressure are related to the risk of coronary artery disease. However, the effect of the ascending aortic pressure waveform on the risk of coronary artery disease in men and women analyzed separately has not been reported. The objective of the study was to assess the relation between ascending aortic blood pressure waveform and the presence of coronary artery disease in men and in women. The study group consisted of 447 patients (302 men and 145 women; mean age: 57.6+/-9.8 years) with preserved left ventricular function who were undergoing first diagnostic coronary angiography. After multivariate stepwise adjustments, the odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) of having coronary artery disease in women was (OR are reported for standard deviation increase in each variable): pulse pressure OR 1.61 (95% CI 1.06-2.46); fractional systolic pressure OR 1.72 (95% CI 1.08-2.71); fractional diastolic pressure OR 0.58 (95% CI 0.37-0.92); fractional pulse pressure OR 1.72 (95% CI 1.08-2.71); and pulsatility index OR 1.74 (95% CI 1.09-2.78). None of the studied variables was independently related to the presence of coronary artery disease in men. In conclusion, fractional systolic and diastolic pressure, pulse pressure, fractional pulse pressure and the ratio of pulse pressure to diastolic pressure may be independently related to the risk of coronary artery disease in women, but not in men.