Management of Hypertension with Female Sexual Dysfunction

Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 May 5;58(5):637. doi: 10.3390/medicina58050637.

Abstract

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in hypertension has been less studied than male sexual dysfunction, and antihypertensive agents' impact on female sexual function is not defined. In this review, randomized double-blind clinical trials and cross-sectional studies related to female sexual function in hypertension were analyzed from 1991 to 2021. FSD appeared to be higher in hypertensive women than in normotensive women. Beta-blockers are the only antihypertensive agents with relatively strong evidence of damaging the female sexual function. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) are relatively beneficial to female sexual function. To treat FSD in the presence of hypertension, controlling blood pressure is key, and the administration of angiotensin receptor blockers is preferred. In addition to controlling blood pressure, for premenopausal women, flibanserin and bremelanotide can be tried, while ospemifene and hormone supplements are preferred for postmenopausal women.

Keywords: angiotensin receptor blockers; antihypertensives; beta-blockers; bremelanotide; female sexual dysfunction; flibanserin; hypertension; ospemifene.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension* / complications
  • Hypertension* / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological* / drug therapy
  • Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological* / etiology

Substances

  • Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Antihypertensive Agents

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.