High Blood Pressure After COVID: How Long Does It Last?

The COVID-19 pandemic showed a troubling trend – an increased risk of high blood pressure post-recovery.¹ A 2023 study from Italy found COVID-19 survivors faced a 70% higher chance of new high blood pressure in the next 7 months. This was compared to those who had not been infected.¹ In New York City, research showed that those who went to the hospital for COVID-19 were over twice as likely to get high blood pressure later. Non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients had about a 50% greater risk.¹ These findings highlight the pressing need to look at COVID-19’s long-term effects on the heart. It also stresses the importance of keeping a close eye on post-COVID high blood pressure.

Key Takeaways

COVID-19 survivors have a significantly higher risk of developing new-onset high blood pressure compared to those who did not have COVID-19.
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are more than twice as likely to develop persistent hypertension compared to those with influenza.
High blood pressure can affect up to 20.6% of individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 10.85% of non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
Factors like age, gender, underlying conditions, and medication use during COVID-19 illness can influence the risk and duration of post-COVID hypertension.
Regular blood pressure monitoring, lifestyle changes, and timely medical intervention are crucial for managing hypertension after COVID-19 recovery.

COVID-19 and High Blood Pressure: The Connection

Research shows COVID-19 might increase blood pressure, or hypertension.¹ The virus targets ACE2, an enzyme important for our heart and immune systems. Without enough ACE2, our body makes more angiotensin 2. This hormone makes blood vessels tighten, which can spike our blood pressure.¹ The stress of the pandemic can add to high blood pressure after recovering from COVID-19.¹

Increased Risk of Hypertension After COVID-19

After battling COVID-19, some might see their blood pressure rise for the first time. Others, who already had hypertension, could find their condition worsening.¹ A report from Italy showed that people beating COVID-19 had a 70% higher risk of new high blood pressure in the next 7 months. This was compared to those who didn’t catch the virus.¹ In New York City, COVID-19 patients were about twice as likely to get new high blood pressure than those with the flu.¹

COVID-19 as a Potential Trigger for New-Onset Hypertension

For people in the hospital with COVID-19, their chances of high blood pressure later were about 20%. This was according to a study. For those not hospitalized, the risk was lower, at 10.85%.¹ Stress from being sick or fearing the virus might raise blood pressure by making blood vessels smaller.¹ Also, a small fraction might face high blood pressure after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. However, this is often short-lived and could tie back to the stress of the situation.¹

How Long Does High Blood Pressure Last After COVID?

If COVID-19 causes high blood pressure, it might stay for days or weeks after. This depends on health, how severe the case was, and if treatments worked.¹ A 2023 study showed that about 20.6% of those who went to the hospital still had high blood pressure. For those not hospitalized, this was 10.85% after six months. This proves that high blood pressure might last a while after COVID-19.

Short-Term Hypertension

Some people see their high blood pressure go back to normal in a few days or weeks as they recover. The short-term high blood pressure might last less if the person is overall healthy. It also depends on how bad the COVID-19 was and if they got good treatment.

Persistent Hypertension: Duration and Factors

For others, high blood pressure sticks around longer. How long it lasts could be because of age, other health issues, and how COVID-19 affected the heart and blood vessels.¹ Older people or those with health problems like lung disease, heart disease, or kidney problems are more likely to have long-term high blood pressure after COVID-19.¹

It’s vital to check blood pressure often and get help quickly if it’s high. This is true whether high blood pressure goes away quickly or stays for a longer time. Taking care of high blood pressure can prevent heart problems and help the body fully heal from COVID-19.

Risk Factors for Post-COVID Hypertension

Researchers are looking into how COVID-19 is linked to high blood pressure. They found some risk factors that could lead to post-COVID hypertension.¹

Age and Gender

If you’re over 40 or male, you might be more likely to get high blood pressure after COVID-19.² It looks like your age and whether you’re a man or woman matters. It affects how your heart health responds to the virus and afterwards.

Underlying Medical Conditions

If you had health issues like lung disease or heart problems before, COVID-19 might make it worse.¹ Also, if you got certain medications for COVID-19, like vasopressors or corticosteroids, you could more easily end up with long-lasting high blood pressure.² These health conditions and treatments can make the virus’s impact on your heart last longer.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities

Studies show that Black adults might face a bigger risk of post-COVID hypertension.¹ This shows we need to work on healthcare fairness. Everyone should have the same chance at avoiding, checking, and treating heart issues after COVID-19.

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Monitoring and Management of Post-COVID Hypertension

Keeping track of your blood pressure is key for those who saw it spike after COVID-19.¹ Everyone over 18 should check their blood pressure often, at home or a pharmacy. If your top number is over 140 or your bottom number goes above 90, see a doctor.

Lifestyle Modifications

Eating well, staying active, handling stress, and keeping your weight in check can lower blood pressure.³ These steps are great for dealing with high blood pressure post-COVID and helping it get back to normal during recovery.

Medications for Hypertension

But if changing your lifestyle isn’t enough, your doctor might give you pills to take. They could include drugs like diuretics, beta-blockers, or ACE inhibitors.³ These meds are important for managing hypertension after COVID and may stop heart problems in the future.

COVID-19 and the Cardiovascular System

The virus behind COVID-19 can greatly affect how our heart and blood system work. It’s keen on something called the ACE2 receptor. This receptor is important for keeping our blood pressure in check. When the virus messes with the ACE2, our blood pressure might rise. This could cause new high blood pressure problems or make existing ones worse.¹

Impact of COVID-19 on Blood Pressure Regulation

After the virus messes with ACE2, it can cause our bodies to make more of a certain hormone. This hormone makes our blood vessels tighten, leading to high blood pressure. Besides this, the worry and stress that come with COVID-19 may also play a part in high blood pressure later on.¹

Potential Long-Term Cardiovascular Complications

COVID-19 can cause heart-related issues that stick around for a while, like inflammation and changes in how our nerves control our heart. These problems can make blood pressure stay high or go back up.³ So, the impact of COVID-19 on our hearts is a big deal for handling high blood pressure in those who recover from the virus.

how long does high blood pressure last after covid

High blood pressure after COVID-19 lasts differently for each person. It depends on a few things, like how bad the virus was at first and the person’s overall health.¹ For some, it gets better in a few weeks or months. Others might deal with it for a longer time.⁴

Factors Affecting Duration

A lot of things can change how long post-COVID high blood pressure sticks around. We need more studies to learn about COVID-19’s lasting effects on the heart.¹ Keeping track of blood pressure and managing it well is key to avoid future problems.

Long-Term Implications

Understanding the long-term effects of COVID-19 on blood pressure is still a work in progress.¹ Research looks into if high blood pressure can come back after beating the virus. They’re also studying what might cause this in the heart.

Stress and Hypertension During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit us hard, making stress and anxiety common.⁴ This can make our bodies act up. It changes the body’s chemicals, causing our blood vessels to narrow and blood pressure to rise.¹

To lower this risk, we should try to manage our stress. Things like working out, doing things we love, being outside, and connecting with friends can help a lot.¹ Doctors can show you ways to handle stress better.

Psychosocial Impact of COVID-19

The pandemic brought a lot of fear and worry. Many are scared of getting sick, feel alone, and worry about their job and money.⁴ This stress can make our blood pressure go up. It’s because our body reacts by squeezing our blood vessels.¹

Stress Management Techniques

To help with high blood pressure after COVID-19, managing stress is key.¹ Doing regular workouts can calm your stress and lower your blood pressure.¹ Fun hobbies, being outside, and chatting with friends also work well.¹ Doctors can help find the best stress-busting activities for you.

COVID-19 Vaccination and Hypertension

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine may slightly raise blood pressure in some people. However, this effect doesn’t last long and shouldn’t worry most individuals.⁵ For those with uncontrolled high blood pressure after getting the vaccine, it mainly affected people between 35 and 52 years old.⁵ The risk of heart inflammation after mRNA vaccines was higher among teens and young adults.⁵ Waiting more than a month between the first and second mRNA vaccine dose helps lower this risk.⁵ Also, those already immune to the virus might have stronger reactions to the vaccine.⁵

Potential Effects of Vaccination on Blood Pressure

There have been cases where COVID-19 vaccination led to high blood pressure issues. Patients developed severe high blood pressure after getting mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.⁶ In 2022, a rare case saw someone in a hypertensive crisis with bleeding in the brain after such a vaccine.⁶ Similarly, there were reports of severe blood pressure reactions after Moderna’s vaccine in 2022.⁶ This included cases of extreme high blood pressure and brain bleeding.⁶ Some people also saw their blood pressure rise after Pfizer’s vaccine in 2021.⁶ Healthcare workers noticed a big jump in blood pressure after receiving the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in 2022.⁶

Importance of Vaccination for COVID-19 Prevention

Despite these rare cases, the COVID-19 vaccine is crucial for preventing severe illness. It plays a vital role in reducing the seriousness of COVID-19.⁶ This helps in preventing new high blood pressure problems or making existing ones worse.⁶ Plus, it can lessen the heart and blood vessel issues that COVID-19 might cause. It also can help in regulating blood pressure after recovering from the virus.⁶

Post-COVID Hypertension in Specific Populations

Some groups might face a greater risk of high blood pressure after recovering from COVID-19.² Adults over 40 seemed more likely to develop this. Especially, if they had health issues like lung disease, heart conditions, or kidney problems.⁷

Older Adults

Older people are more at risk of COVID-19’s heart effects.² Those who later showed high blood pressure were younger on average, about 51 years old. This age difference suggests COVID-19 might push older folks to develop lasting high blood pressure.²

Individuals with Pre-existing Hypertension

Already having high blood pressure means you might have more serious heart issues from COVID-19.² A part of the study showed these patients had overall higher blood pressure levels. They often used certain medications. This shows they need special care from doctors.²

Doctors need to watch these at-risk groups closely.²⁷ By focusing on these groups, healthcare workers hope to lessen COVID-19’s effect on the heart in the long run.

Hypertension and Long COVID

Hypertension might be a sign of long COVID. This is when symptoms keep coming back even weeks after the first COVID-19 infection.¹ The heart and blood system issues of long COVID might make high blood pressure worse.⁴

Persistent Symptoms and Cardiovascular Implications

Doctors need to watch long COVID patients for high blood pressure signs. They should help them lower their blood pressure. This happens through lifestyle changes, taking medicine, and keeping a close eye on it.⁴ It’s very important to control hypertension in these patients. It helps stop more heart problems.

Managing Hypertension in Long COVID Patients

Improving your lifestyle can help with high blood pressure after having COVID-19. This means exercising often, eating right, keeping your weight in check, and finding ways to relax.⁴ Checking your blood pressure regularly is key. It can sneak up on you without any warning signs, making it hard to catch any problems early.⁴ If you’re feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or like you might faint after having COVID-19, see a doctor.⁴ They can figure out what’s wrong and help treat it.

Research and Future Directions

Experts are studying how COVID-19 affects the heart long-term. They look into if it causes ongoing high blood pressure.³ They want to know how long this kind of high blood pressure lasts, why it happens, and what things might make it more likely.³ This work helps doctors find better ways to treat high blood pressure linked to recovering from COVID-19.³

Ongoing Studies on Post-COVID Hypertension

Research is diving into heart rhythm problems and heart issues after having COVID-19. They talk about how common these problems are and how to spot them.⁸ They’ve looked at heart inflammation and heart rhythm changes related to the virus and the vaccine. They aim to understand the risks and what might happen.⁸ Also, they’re exploring how tiny parts of blood vessels can hint at diabetes in COVID-19 patients. This gives clues about diabetes risks after the virus.⁸

Some reports discuss the tough issues COVID-19 has brought, like more people getting diabetes, potential long-lasting heart problems, and links to other health issues.⁸ These findings deepen our knowledge about COVID-19’s lasting effects on health.³

Emerging Treatments and Interventions

Healthcare workers are learning more about the heart effects of COVID-19. They might find new ways to treat high blood pressure from recovering from the virus.³ This research is key to better handling high blood pressure after COVID-19.³

Studies point out a higher chance of getting diabetes after COVID-19. A review of several studies backs this claim about the risk.⁸ They also show that getting high blood pressure and diabetes after the virus is a real concern. They stress we need to understand why this happens and what leads to it.⁸

Prevention and Early Detection

Spotting post-COVID hypertension early and taking steps to prevent it is key.¹ Getting regular check-ups and keeping an eye on your blood pressure are important. You can do this either on your own or with the help of a doctor.¹

Importance of Regular Check-ups

Knowing about the link between COVID-19 and high blood pressure can motivate everyone to act.¹ Talking about the need for check-ups helps healthcare workers guide people through their recovery.¹

Awareness and Education

Being proactive, making lifestyle changes, and seeking early treatment are vital for post-COVID hypertension.¹ Research and education are key to fighting this health threat.¹

Conclusion

COVID-19 significantly affects the heart, possibly leading to high blood pressure.⁷ How long high blood pressure lasts after recovering from COVID-19 can differ. Some see short-term rises, while others face a longer battle.² Age, gender, past health issues, and how severe their COVID-19 was play a role in this.⁷

It’s vital to keep an eye on blood pressure levels post-recovery.² This is because roughly 16% of people face high blood pressure after COVID-19, higher than we initially thought.² Those who stayed in the hospital or used certain drugs have a higher risk of long-term high blood pressure.⁷

Healthcare experts and scientists are working hard to learn more about COVID-19’s lasting effects on the heart.³ They aim to find the best ways to prevent and handle high blood pressure after COVID-19. This is key to lowering the pandemic’s cardiovascular risks over time.

FAQ

How long does high blood pressure last after COVID-19?

After getting over COVID-19, some may still face high blood pressure for a while. It varies by person. Those older and with health issues may have it longer. This is because of how severe their COVID-19 was and other conditions they had before.

What are the potential long-term cardiovascular impacts of COVID-19?

COVID-19 can mess with the heart long-term, making high blood pressure worse. It affects how the ACE2 system works. This can cause ongoing or coming back high blood pressure, among other heart problems.

Can COVID-19 trigger new-onset hypertension?

Yes, surviving COVID-19 might lead to high blood pressure, even if you didn’t have it before. The virus affects how your body controls blood pressure. This can cause high blood pressure to start.

What are the risk factors for post-COVID hypertension?

After COVID-19, the chance of having high blood pressure may stay high for some. Older adults, men, and Black people face more risk. Health conditions like lung or heart disease also up the risk. The seriousness of your COVID-19 and the medicine you took can matter too.

How can individuals manage hypertension after COVID-19?

To keep high blood pressure in check after COVID-19, watch it closely. Lifestyle changes are key, like eating well and staying active. Managing stress and weight is important. If needed, your doctor can give you medicine to help.

How does COVID-19 impact the cardiovascular system?

The virus behind COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, really likes the ACE2 system in your body. It messes with it, possibly causing heart issues like high blood pressure and bad blood vessel function.

What factors can affect the duration of post-COVID hypertension?

How long high blood pressure lasts after COVID-19 changes from person to person. It depends on things like your health when you had COVID-19. The care you get and lifestyle changes also play a part.

How does stress contribute to hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The COVID-19 stress can make your blood pressure go up. It activates a system in your body that can tighten your blood vessels and raise blood pressure. Activities that relax you, being active, and support from others can help.

Can COVID-19 vaccination affect blood pressure?

Sometimes, the COVID-19 shot might briefly raise your blood pressure. But it’s not usually a big deal. Getting vaccinated is still very important to avoid serious COVID-19 complications that can affect blood pressure.

How can healthcare providers support individuals with post-COVID hypertension?

Doctors must keep a close eye on those with high blood pressure after COVID-19, especially the older and already sick. They should push for healthy living and might give medicine. Monitoring is crucial to catch heart issues early.

How is hypertension related to Long COVID?

High blood pressure might be a Long COVID sign. People with Long COVID can have ongoing heart problems, like worsening high blood pressure. Doctors need to watch out for this and help patients manage it.

What are the current research and future directions for post-COVID hypertension?

Experts are looking into how COVID-19 impacts the heart long-term, especially high blood pressure. They’re working on seeing how long it lasts and what makes it sticks around. New ways to treat high blood pressure after COVID-19 are also being explored.

How can individuals and healthcare systems support the prevention and early detection of post-COVID hypertension?

Stopping high blood pressure after COVID-19 starts with keeping an eye on it. Regular check-ups and blood pressure checks are key. Knowing about the link between COVID-19 and high blood pressure can lead to early help.