Examining the Association between Hypertension and Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients: A Predictive Analysis

Abstract

COVID-19 has become a global pandemic resulting in millions of deaths worldwide. Hypertension has been identified as one of the most common pre-existing conditions and risk factors for severe outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Recent research has questioned whether hypertension independently predicts outcomes in COVID-19, apart from other common conditions like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and lung disease. However, the impact of chronic and new-onset hypertension in COVID-19 has been insufficiently studied. The same applies to the relationship between blood pressure levels and COVID-19 outcomes. It seems the long discussion about whether ACE inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) affect COVID-19 severity and outcomes is ending, as numerous studies and meta-analyses have disproved initial findings of higher ACEI/ARB use in patients with poor outcomes. Still, controversies remain regarding the links between hypertension and COVID-19. This review aims to provide a clinical overview of currently available evidence on the predictive value of hypertension, the effect of blood pressure levels, the impact of known and new hypertension, and the role of antihypertensives on severity and outcomes in COVID-19 patients.