High blood pressure linked to increased risk of severe COVID illness

If you have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, then the force of blood pushing against your artery walls is too high. When this happens, it puts a pressure on your heart to work harder. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg or lower.

Untreated high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and other serious health issues. According to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE, high blood pressure is also associated with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness.

The researchers analyzed health records of 16,134 people who tested positive for COVID-19. They found that the condition of high blood pressure was almost twice as prevalent in severe and fatal cases of COVID-19, compared to the overall COVID-19 cases.

In the total severe COVID cases, 48% of the individuals had hypertension. On the other hand, 25% of all people with COVID-19 had high blood pressure. Despite seeking treatment and medication for high blood pressure, the risk of severe COVID infection remains unaffected. The researchers found no correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and the type of high blood pressure medication used. Low blood pressure was also associated with a 40% higher risk of severe COVID-19, compared to standard blood pressure readings.

Controlling blood pressure can aid in reducing risk of severe COVID-19 and other health complications such as heart attack and stroke. This can be done through consulting your doctor for appropriate medications. Lifestyle changes such as weight loss for those who are overweight or obese, eating healthy diet, regular physical activity, quitting smoking e can also help in controlling high BP.