Virus risk cut by blood pressure pill

Medication for high blood pressure could improve Covid-19 survival rates and reduce the severity of infection in patients with high blood pressure, a study suggests.

Researchers studied 28,000 patients taking antihypertensives, a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).

They found that the risk of severe Covid-19 illness and death was reduced for patients with high blood pressure who were taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers.

According to the study, Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure who were taking the medications were 0.67 times less likely to have a critical or fatal outcome than those who were not.

Researchers said it was important to understand the impact all medications have on Covid-19 patients.