IN this feature, we take a look at some of the most interesting and important hypertension research from 2020. We cover a range of topics, including Covid-19, the role of thigh circumference, and the impact of dairy.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 1.13 billion people worldwide have with hypertension (high blood pressure). The WHO also indicate that in 2015, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 4 men had hypertension.
A 2020 review concluded that “[h]ypertension is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death worldwide,” and that prevalence is growing.
Of course, during 2020, Covid-19 eclipsed all else, so it seems sensible to begin this feature with science that addresses both hypertension and the novel coronavirus.
In May, the American Journal of Hypertension published an editorial addressing the relationships between hypertension, hypertension medication, and Covid-19.
Toward the start of the pandemic, some scientists were concerned that high blood pressure might be a risk factor for Covid-19. Some experts also wondered whether antihypertensive medication might increase the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2.
Understanding whether hypertension is a risk factor for Covid-19 or for developing severe Covid-19 is challenging. Because both Covid-19 and hypertension are more common in older adults, it is difficult to tease the two apart.
As the authors of the editorial explain, “hypertension is exceedingly frequent in the elderly, and older people appear to be at particular risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus and of experiencing severe forms and complications of Covid-19.”
More than 7 months on, it is still unclear whether hypertension increases the risk of developing Covid-19 or the risk of poorer outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that “Having other cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, such as hypertension […] might increase your risk of severe illness from Covid-19.”
Some people with hypertension take renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors, such as an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). These drugs may potentially affect the activity of ACE2 receptors, which are also the point where SARS-CoV-2 enters the cells.
Some scientists wondered whether these drugs might, therefore, influence infection risk.
