Analysis of Statistical Data Reveals Association Between COVID-19 and Hypertension

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Analysis of Statistical Data Reveals Association Between COVID-19 and Hypertension

Analysis of Statistical Data Reveals Association Between COVID-19 and Hypertension.

A recent study has uncovered a significant link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the onset of hypertension in individuals with preexisting heart conditions, advanced age, African American ethnicity, or male gender.

Research examining over 45,000 electronic health records has shown a clear connection between COVID-19 infection and the development of hypertension. This study was recently published in the American Heart Association’s journal “Hypertension.”

Analysis of Statistical Data Reveals Association Between COVID-19 and Hypertension

Dr. Tim Q. Duong, a senior author of the study, remarked, “While COVID-19 is generally more severe in patients with preexisting hypertension, leading to higher hospitalization and mortality rates compared to those with normal blood pressure, it remains unclear whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus can trigger hypertension or exacerbate existing cases.”

Dr. Tim Q. Duong, a senior author of the study and Professor of Radiology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and Associate Director of Radiology Research and Vice Director of Integrated Imaging and Data Science at Montefiore Health System, stated.

In contrast to similar respiratory viruses like the flu, this retrospective observational study is the first to investigate the incidence of sustained hypertension in COVID-19 patients and its associated risk factors.

According to the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines for the prevention, detection, evaluation, and management of high blood pressure, hypertension is classified as having blood pressure values equal to or greater than 130/80 mm Hg.

Researchers analyzed health data from the electronic health records of the Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, New York, which serves a diverse population of different races and ethnicities.

The study included 45,398 COVID-19 patients (hospitalized between March 1, 2020, and February 20, 2022) and 13,864 flu patients (hospitalized between January 1, 2018, and February 20, 2022), who were followed up for an average of 6 months for any medical reasons.

The analysis revealed the following:

– 21% of individuals hospitalized due to COVID-19 developed hypertension, compared to 11% of those not hospitalized for COVID-19. In contrast, 16% of those hospitalized for the flu and 4% of those not hospitalized for the flu developed hypertension.

– The odds of developing sustained hypertension were over twice as high in individuals hospitalized for COVID-19 compared to those not hospitalized for COVID-19, and 1.5 times higher in individuals not hospitalized for COVID-19.

– Individuals over the age of 40 with SARS-CoV-2 infection, African American adults, or those with preexisting conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, or chronic kidney disease were at a higher risk of developing hypertension.

– Persistent hypertension was more common among individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection who received vasopressors and corticosteroid treatments during the pandemic.

Duong emphasized, “The sheer magnitude of people affected by COVID-19 compared to the flu is staggering, and these statistics suggest that we may see a significant public health burden of new cases of hypertension in the future. These findings should raise awareness and prompt hypertension screening in high-risk patients following COVID-19 infection to detect and treat hypertension-related complications, such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases, earlier.”

The authors noted that the study participants mainly came from lower socioeconomic communities, which could increase their likelihood of developing hypertension after COVID-19 infection.

Other factors that could contribute to hypertension in the study population include isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, psychosocial stress, reduced physical activity, unhealthy diet, and weight gain.

Researchers also highlighted the need for longer-term follow-up studies to determine whether COVID-19-related complications on the heart and blood pressure regulation resolve on their own or have long-term effects on patients’ cardiovascular systems.

Limitations of the study include the restriction of results to individuals who interacted with the healthcare system during the follow-up period, making them more likely to have severe COVID-19;

some patients might have undiagnosed hypertension;

the absence of vaccination records in healthcare system databases if COVID-19 vaccinations were administered outside the system, which could potentially impact the severity of COVID-19 disease; and the possibility of patient selection bias in retrospective analysis.

Backzground:

Participants included 45,398 COVID-19 patients hospitalized between March 2020 and August 2022 and 13,864 flu patients with no history of hypertension hospitalized between January 2018 and August 2022.

Health data was obtained from the Montefiore Health System, which encompasses multiple hospitals in the Bronx and surrounding communities in the New York metropolitan area, serving a diverse patient population, including many of lower socioeconomic status. The Bronx and various boroughs of New York City were early epicenters of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Data was collected at the time of COVID-19 admission and during follow-up, with follow-up periods at 3 months and 9 months after testing positive for COVID-19 or the flu, with the closest follow-up period for COVID-19 and flu patients being approximately 6 months.