COVID-19 Patients Twice As Likely To Develop High Blood Pressure, Study Says

21% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients develop high blood pressure. Uncover the groundbreaking study that calls for urgent public health action.

Quick Summary

• The research analyzed over 45,000 COVID-19 patients and 13,864 influenza patients, making it a comprehensive study on the topic.
• The study found that 21% of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized and 11% who were not, developed high blood pressure.
• Individuals over 40, men, Black adults, and those with pre-existing conditions are more susceptible to developing high blood pressure post-COVID-19.
• The use of vasopressor and corticosteroid medications during COVID-19 treatment was associated with elevated rates of high blood pressure.
• Given the massive scale of COVID-19 infections, the rise in high blood pressure presents a new public health challenge that calls for immediate action.

Got high blood pressure? You’re not alone.

Millions are in the same boat, and the condition often leads to serious issues like heart disease and strokes.

But hold on—new research now suggests that COVID-19 could actually cause high blood pressure. Ready for a jaw-dropper?

One in five people hospitalized with COVID-19 end up with high blood pressure, compared to only 16% for those with the flu.

Intrigued? Let’s dive deeper into this eye-opening study.

Read also: COVID-19 And High Blood Pressure: What You Need To Know

The Scope Of The Study

Time to pull out the magnifying glass. This study is no small feat. It looked at over 45,000 patients with COVID-19.

To put it in perspective, that’s like studying every single resident of a small American town! It didn’t stop there.

It also examined nearly 14,000 folks with the flu.

Why these two groups, you ask? To create a clear contrast.

The researchers wanted to know how COVID-19 stacks up against another common respiratory virus when it comes to hypertension. The time frame is intriguing too.

For COVID-19, the data spans from March 2020 to August 2022. For influenza, it’s from January 2018 to the same end point in 2022.

Now, where did all this data come from? A place teeming with medical records—the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York. The area is a melting pot, representing a wide swath of racial and ethnic diversity.

Trustworthy data? You bet. These electronic medical records offer a rich source of real-world health insights.

Key Findings

Main results

Hold onto your hats, folks! The study turned up some jaw-dropping numbers. One in five COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized developed high blood pressure. That’s 21% of them! Not hospitalized? The rate doesn’t drop much. It stands at 11%.

Now, how does this compare to the flu? The difference is stark. People with COVID-19 were more than twice as likely to get hypertension compared to flu patients. Yep, you read that right. Over two times!

“Given the sheer number of people affected by COVID-19 compared to influenza, these statistics are alarming and suggest that many more patients will likely develop high blood pressure in the future, which may present a major public health burden,” Dr. Tim Duong, a study author and professor of radiology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said in a news release.

At-risk demographics

But wait, there’s more. The study also drilled down into who is most at risk. If you’re over 40, a man, or a Black adult, listen up. You have higher odds of developing high blood pressure after a COVID-19 infection.

Got pre-existing conditions like COPD or kidney disease? You’re also in the higher-risk pool.

Medication and hypertension

Medications enter the spotlight too. Ever heard of vasopressors? How about corticosteroids? These aren’t your everyday meds, but they are commonly used in hospitals.

The study found that COVID-19 patients treated with these drugs had higher rates of hypertension. So, it’s not just the virus; medication plays a part too.

Read also: Study Warns That Even Light Drinking Can Raise Blood Pressure

Implications Of The Findings

Public health burden

The sheer scale is staggering. Think about it: COVID-19 has affected millions. Now, factor in that 21% of hospitalized and 11% of non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 developed high blood pressure.

The implications are massive. We could be staring down the barrel of a new public health crisis, one built on the back of an existing pandemic.

Clinical recommendations

What does this mean for you and me? Dr. Tim Q. Duong has some advice. He calls for more awareness and regular blood pressure checks for those recovering from COVID-19. Screening, he says, will help identify and treat high blood pressure before it wreaks havoc.

“These findings should heighten awareness to screen at-risk patients for hypertension after COVID-19 illness to enable earlier identification and treatment for hypertension-related complications, such as cardiovascular and kidney disease,” Duong says.

This isn’t just a doctor talking; it’s a wake-up call for the entire medical community.

Socioeconomic Factors

Here’s another twist. The study mainly looked at folks from low-income neighborhoods. Why does that matter? Lower socioeconomic status often correlates with higher health risks.

So, while COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate, the chances of developing high blood pressure might be influenced by where and how you live.

Limitations And Future Research

Let’s pump the brakes a bit. This study is groundbreaking, but it’s not without its gaps. Some patients might have had undiagnosed high blood pressure even before COVID-19 struck.

Vaccine status could also be a wild card; the study didn’t always capture this data. And let’s not overlook the potential for patient selection bias, given the study’s retrospective nature.

So, what’s next on the research highway? Well, the authors point to the need for longer-term studies.

The big question remains: are these spikes in blood pressure a temporary hiccup or a long-lasting problem? Only more time and more data can tell. And given the high stakes, that’s research we can’t afford to bypass.

Conclusion

So, where does all this leave us? We’ve delved into a landmark study that reveals a significant uptick in high blood pressure among COVID-19 patients. Especially concerning are the rates among certain demographics and the implications for public health.

We can’t ignore these findings. They’re a wake-up call. The healthcare system needs to gear up for heightened screening, especially among those most at risk. It’s not just about surviving COVID-19 anymore; it’s about managing the long-term fallout.

This study could be the catalyst for a comprehensive rethinking of how we approach hypertension, from the doctor’s office to community health programs. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. The future health of countless individuals could depend on it.

Read also: Processed Foods Linked To Increased Blood Pressure, Study Finds