Some women only react to very high levels while others are especially sensitive to what are considered normal androgen levels. In addition, women have different kinds of end-organ sensitivity. Some will have acne, some thinning hair, some irregular menses, etc. Obese women with PCOS also tend to cluster CVD risk factors. These women tend to have lower levels of HDL and higher levels of triglycerides.
Hirsute women have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
The significant androgens secreted from the ovary or the adrenal gland include testosterone and androstenedione. Hormones that are not primarily androgens, like the progestins, may still be androgenic. Levels of testosterone and adrostenedione peak in the late teens and young adulthood, then progressively decline with age. After menopause, they normally remain basically stable but at a lower level. If post-menopausal levels of testosterone or androstenedione measure as high as those seen during the menstrual years, then cell hyperplasia should be suspected.