High blood pressure escalates the chances of developing heart disease and stroke.
A recent study has suggested that people who have contracted COVID-19 could have an increased likelihood of developing hypertension, even if they had no previous record of high blood pressure.
The results of the research were published in Hypertension, a journal of the American Heart Association.
The researchers discovered that among a group of over 45,000 people who were hospitalised for COVID-19 and had no previous hypertension, a substantial portion experienced the onset of high blood pressure within six months.
Furthermore, individuals aged 40 and above, males, black adults, and those with various pre-existing health conditions exhibited a heightened likelihood of developing this condition.
Although similar outcomes were observed with influenza, a comparable respiratory infection, the researchers noted that the prevalence of these effects was more pronounced across all categories for individuals who had contracted COVID-19.
Medical professionals examined the records of individuals seeking care at hospitals for both COVID-19 and influenza in the Bronx (NYC), a region characterized by its significant racial and ethnic diversity.
Their analysis revealed that, following a six-month period, 21% of individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 11% of those who did not require hospitalization for COVID-19 experienced the onset of high blood pressure. By contrast, among individuals hospitalized for flu, 16% developed high blood pressure, while only 4% of those who did not require hospitalization for flu exhibited the same outcome.
"While COVID-19 is typically more severe in patients with preexisting high blood pressure, including higher rates of hospitalization and mortality compared to people with normal blood pressure, it is unknown whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus may trigger the development of high blood pressure or worsen preexisting hypertension," said senior study author Dr Tim Q Duong, a study author and professor of radiology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in a news release.