Arterial Hypertension and Covid-19: A Retrospective Study

Objective: The aim of this study was in patients who had COVID-19 to rate the frequency of newly verified or worsened existing hypertension. Design and method: The retrospective study was done, which lasted from April 2021 to May 2022, 78 patients (29 males, 49 females) who have had COVID-19 were analyzed at the Emergency department in our clinic. In order to be categorized as a COVID patient, a positive PCR test at a single point in time was required. According to the accepted definitions of COVID-19 and its manifestations in respect to time from a positive PCR test, the patients were divided into two groups: acute COVID patients (PCR test positive < 30 days ago) and post-acute COVID patients (PCR test positive > 30 days ago). Patients’ age, history, BMI, laboratory values, and antihypertensive therapy were recorded. Results: Out of 78 patients studied, 16(12.48%) had either newly verified (9) or worsened existing (7) arterial hypertension. Among those, the median time from a verified SARS-CoV-2 infection to onset of symptoms was 90 days. Compared to the rest of the study population, patients presenting with arterial hypertension had significantly higher systolic (median 160 vs. 128 mmHg, p = 0.004) and diastolic (median 97 vs 80 mmHg, p = 0.02) blood pressure and were non-significantly younger (median 49 vs 57 years, p = 0.067). Conclusions: Arterial hypertension following COVID-19, either newly verified or worsened existing, is a relatively common (12.04% of our patient pool) occurrence and more effort should be directed into evaluating patients’ blood pressure values following COVID-19 in order to make a timely diagnosis and start proper treatment early.