Your blood pressure is made up of two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the ventricles pump blood out of the heart.
Diastolic pressure is the pressure between heartbeats when the heart is filling with blood. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities.
In a study from the University of Cambridge, scientists found high blood pressure is a risk factor for severe COVID-19.
They found a dose-response link for increased systolic blood pressure with severe COVID-19.
In the study, the team examined the impact of hypertension, systolic blood pressure, and antihypertensive medications on the risk for severe COVID-19 using data from the U.K. Biobank and linked health records.
Overall, 16,134 people tested positive for COVID-19, 22 percent developed severe COVID-19, and 40 percent had high blood pressure.
The researchers found that compared with people with normal blood pressure, those with high blood pressure had higher risks of severe COVID-19.
Elevated systolic blood pressure showed a dose-response link with severe COVID-19 among those taking high blood pressure medications.
Greater risks of severe COVID-19 were seen in association with SBP <120 mm Hg.
There was no association seen for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin-II receptor blockers with altered risk for severe COVID-19.
Based on the findings, the researchers suggest that high blood pressure is a risk factor for COVID-19.
The association between high blood pressure and COVID-19 is bigger if the individuals were treated and their blood pressure remained uncontrolled.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that drinking green or black tea could help lower blood pressure, and how to check your blood pressure accurately at home.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about high blood pressure drugs that may increase heart failure risk, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
The study was conducted by Holly Pavey et al and published in PLOS ONE.
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