Aim To analyze the changes of the parameters of central aortic pressure and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients with different stages of menopause; To investigate the protective effect of estrogen on cardiovascular system in female. Methods 118 patients with hypertension were selected, and 51 cases were female and 67 cases were male. According to menopausal years, female patients were divided into short-term menopause group (menopause time was less than 5 years) and long-term menopause group (menopause time was more than 5 years). Male patients whose age were consistent with the above two female groups, were as short-term control group and long-term control group. Peripheral arterial systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and pulse pressure (PP) were detected.Central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), central diastolic blood pressure (cDBP), central pulse pressure (cPP), augmentation pressure (AP), central aortic pressure augmentation index (AIx), augmentation index adjusting for a heart rate of 75 beats/min (AIx75HR) and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) were measured. Results (1)SBP, DBP, cSBP, cDBP and cfPWV in short-term menopause group were lower than those in short-term control group, AP, cPP, AIx and AIx75HR in short-term menopause group were higher than those in short-term control group, and the differences of SBP, DBP, cDBP, AIx75HR between the two groups were statistically significant (P＜0.05). (2)SBP, PP, heart rate, cSBP, cPP, AP, AIx, AIx75HR and cfPWV in long-term menopause group were larger than those in long-term control group, and the differences of SBP, PP, cSBP, cPP, AP, AIx75HR between the two groups were statistically significant (P＜0.05). (3)The levels of estradiol and progesterone in short-term menopause group were higher than those in long-term menopause group, and the difference of estradiol level between the two groups was statistically significant (P＜0.05). Conclusions Estrogen level in hypertensive female with short-term menopause can maintain the protection of cardiovascular system. Estrogen has a protective effect on not only peripheral blood pressure but also central aortic pressure, but its protective effect is not obvious on arterial stiffness.