Eligible women who visit OB/GYN physicians will be invited for an interview. They will be questioned about general characteristics, lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity), and medical history. During the interview, blood pressure will be measured three times on the right arm, while the participant is seated. A woman is considered as post menopausal if her menses have naturally ceased for 12 months (or more), or if she has bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy without bilateral oophorectomy and aged more than 55 years. Office BP will be measured using a mercury sphygmomanometer according to the recommendations of the American Society of Hypertension (average the three BP readings after 5 min of quiet sitting position). Biophysical and biochemical characteristics will be measured including the last menses period, age, BMI, serum glucose (AC and PC), serum and urine creatinine, plasma total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, FSH, LH, 17β-estradiol, progesterone, TSH, intermedin, and prolactin. Blood specimens from individual subjects will be analyzed in a single assay to minimize variations. Odds ratios (ORs) of elevated blood pressure and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) will be computed after allowance for age. Furthermore, in order to take into account potential reciprocal confounding effects of variables considered, factors significantly related with elevated blood pressure risk in the age adjusted analysis will be subsequently included in multiple logistic regression models fitted by the method of maximum likelihood. Women asking for annually regular pap smear examinations without any medical disease will be eligible for this study group.