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From the beginning of the pandemic, it was clear that older adults and those with underlying health issues were more likely to become very ill from a COVID infection than younger, healthier people.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most common conditions in the general population, particularly among those in their forties and fifties. It also appeared to be one of the most common conditions among COVID patients, particularly those hospitalized or who died.
According to a new study, people with high blood pressure have a 22% higher risk of being hospitalized or dying from the virus than people without high blood pressure.
Although there appeared to be a link between high blood pressure and COVID early in the pandemic, it was unclear whether high blood pressure itself increased the risk of being hospitalized or dying from COVID.
Age and other factors known to influence both high blood pressure and COVID risk, such as socioeconomic status, gender, ethnicity, and body mass index, could have confounded the link (BMI).
We used information from the UK Biobank, a research database containing detailed genetic and health information from over 500,000 UK volunteers. More than 16,000 of these people who tested positive for COVID were included in our study. The data looked at ranged from March 2020 to early 2021.
We used statistical models to examine the effect of high blood pressure on the risk of severe COVID while controlling for potential confounding factors (including age, BMI, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, smoking status and diabetes status).
One limitation of our study is that the UK Biobank volunteer population is generally healthier than the UK population as a whole, and ethnic minority groups have a small representation. This means we must exercise caution when making broad generalizations.
So, why might having high blood pressure increase your chances of contracting a COVID? An intriguing theory concerns how SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) enters our cells. It does so through a receptor known as angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). ACE2 is a critical component of what’s known as the renin-angiotensin system, which is a major regulator of blood pressure.
The angiotensin system may be the link between COVID severity and high blood pressure. However, at this point, we can only speculate. More research will be required to determine the precise mechanism.
Source:IE
