Study: BPs Jumped During COVID Pandemic

Staten Island Advance, N.Y.

A study analyzing hundreds of thousands of people in every state found significant and concerning increases in blood pressure during the height of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak compared to pre-pandemic times.

The research, published as a research letter in the journal Circulation, sifted through health information from 464,585 people who participated in employee-sponsored wellness programs that were operated by Quest Diagnostics. The data, which was analyzed by Quest Diagnostics and the Cleveland Clinic, showed a sharp increase in blood pressure from the spring to winter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 — before widespread infection was tracked and stay-at-home orders were put in place.

"We know that in addition to poor diet, inactivity and lack of sleep, other lifestyle factors such as stress increase blood pressure," said Dr. Luke Laffin, codirector of the Center for Blood Pressure Disorders in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic, in a release. "As we begin to look into the psychological and physical toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to see what type of effect the pandemic may have had on people's blood pressure."

The measurement is the pressure or force of blood pushing against the blood pressure walls and consists of two numbers — systolic blood pressure, which quantifies the pressure when your heart beats; and diastolic blood pressure, which measures the blood pressure between beats.

Researchers noted the impact of the pandemic was profound on blood pressure readings, with average increases recorded each month during the aforementioned period compared to 2019, ranging from 1.10 mm Hg to 2.50 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and 0.14 to 0.53 for diastolic blood pressure per-month.

"The rise in blood pressure revealed by our Health Trends data raise concerns that many Americans are at risk for cardiovascular events," said Dr. Harvey Kaufman, senior medical director and head of Health Trends Research Program for Quest Diagnostics. "We hope this study highlights the need for Americans to get back to their doctors as soon as possible, so that cardiovascular health risks can be addressed, and patients can have the best outcomes possible."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that nearly half of adults in the United States have hypertension, which occurs when blood pressure is consistently high. The condition was responsible for more than 500,000 deaths in 2019.

Hypertension is also listed by the CDC as a comorbidity with mixed evidence it puts people at a greater risk for severe disease if they are infected with the coronavirus.

The new research found even those without hypertension experienced significant increases in blood pressure during the height of the pandemic.

"While weight gain was not the reason seen here for blood pressure increases, other possible reasons could be higher alcohol consumption, less physical activity, emotional stress and reduced medication adherence," said Dr. Stanley Hazen, study author and chair of Lerner Research Institute's Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, and co-section head of Preventive Cardiology in the Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

Researchers involved in the study indicated the alarming findings reinforce the needs to address chronic medical problems, especially during a pandemic that exacerbates underlying issues.

"Continued monitoring of blood pressure trends are crucial as we emerge from this pandemic and begin to see the toll it has taken," said Dr. Laffin. "High blood pressure can be treated through lifestyle modifications and medications, so find out your numbers and talk to your physician."