COVID-19-related lockdowns tied to increased high blood pressure

Lockdowns because of COVID-19 have been tied to high blood pressure in patients seeking emergency care, according to a study promoted by the European Society of Cardiology Nov. 19.

Researchers examined 12,241 patients admitted to the emergency department at Favaloro Foundation University Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during a three-month social isolation period from March to June. They compared those patients to 3,810 patients from March to June 2019 and 3,563 patients from December 2019 to March 2020.

About 391 emergency room patients (23.8 percent) had high blood pressure. This was significantly higher from the same time period in 2019 (17.5 percent) and from the pre-social isolation period (15.4 percent).

Matías Fosco, MD, of Favaloro Foundation University Hospital, said: "There are several possible reasons for the connection between social isolation and high blood pressure. For example, increased stress because of the pandemic, with limited personal contact and the onset or exacerbation of financial or family difficulties. Changed behaviours may have played a role, with higher intake of food and alcohol, sedentary lifestyles and weight gain."

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