By Wendy Haaf
Protecting yourself against COVID-19 infection could also keep another problem at bay: new-onset high blood pressure.
A 2023 analysis of the electronic records of more than 45,000 Americans linked COVID infection with a significant boost in the odds of developing persistent hypertension. For example, 21% of people who were hospitalized for COVID went on to develop high blood pressure within six months, compared to 16% of patients hospitalized for influenza.
The gap was similar between people with COVID or flu infection who hadn’t required hospitalization: 11% versus 4%. People over the age of 40 and those with chronic health conditions were among those at highest risk.
Source: Hypertension
