High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a serious global health issue that affects about one in five adults worldwide. It can lead to dangerous complications like heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure if not properly managed.
Now, a new study from the University of Leeds adds to growing evidence that long-term use of oral steroids may raise the risk of developing high blood pressure, especially in people with chronic inflammatory diseases.
Steroids, also called glucocorticoids, are commonly prescribed to manage long-lasting inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
These medications help reduce swelling and control immune responses, making them very useful for people with painful or damaging inflammation. However, they also come with side effects—especially when used for long periods or at high doses.
In this large study, researchers analyzed health records from more than 71,000 patients across 389 general practices in England. All of the participants had chronic inflammatory diseases and were being treated with oral steroids.
The researchers wanted to find out whether there was a link between how much steroid medication people took over time and whether they developed high blood pressure.
The results showed a clear connection. About 35% of the patients—nearly 25,000 people—were diagnosed with high blood pressure during the study. The more steroid medication a person had taken over time, the more likely they were to develop hypertension. This is known as a dose-response relationship, where the risk increases with greater exposure to the drug.
The most common conditions in the study group were inflammatory bowel disease, which affected 35% of patients, and rheumatoid arthritis, which affected 28%. These are both diseases that often require long-term steroid use to control symptoms, so the findings are especially important for these patients.
What makes this study stand out is the large number of patients and the real-world data collected from routine medical care. Previous studies had suggested that steroids might raise blood pressure, but the evidence wasn’t strong. This new research provides more solid proof that cumulative use of oral steroids can indeed contribute to hypertension.
The researchers, led by Dr. Mar Pujades-Rodriguez, say that the impact of steroids on blood pressure is significant and should not be overlooked. Because steroids are so commonly prescribed, especially in older adults and those with long-term health conditions, the total health impact could be quite large.
Their message to doctors is clear: regularly check blood pressure in patients who are taking steroids, especially if the treatment continues over many weeks or months. Monitoring can help catch rising blood pressure early and allow for changes in medication or lifestyle to reduce the risk of serious health problems.
The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and adds another important piece to the puzzle in understanding how everyday medications can affect long-term health. For patients who take steroids regularly, this research highlights the importance of ongoing care and blood pressure checks as part of their treatment plan.
If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that could increase high blood pressure risk, and eating eggs in a healthy diet may reduce risks of diabetes, high blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and results showing 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
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