Can COVID Cause High Blood Pressure? 4 Connections Between COVID and Hypertension

Nearly 120 million people in the U.S. have hypertension (high blood pressure). That’s almost half of the adults in the U.S. Rates of high blood pressure have worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This increase may be related to changes that resulted from the pandemic, not just the virus itself.

Let’s take a closer look at the relationship between high blood pressure and COVID, as well as what experts think may be behind the rise in blood pressure.

What is high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is a condition where the force of blood against the walls of blood vessels stays high. This results in higher numbers when you check your blood pressure. 

A blood pressure reading includes two measurements: systolic and diastolic blood pressure. You may have high blood pressure if your systolic blood pressure is consistently over 130 mmHg or your diastolic blood pressure is consistently over 80 mmHg. 

There are many causes of high blood pressure, from age and genetics to diet and weight. But it’s almost always the result of a combination of factors.

Without treatment, high blood pressure can lead to serious health complications, including heart disease and stroke. 

What is the connection between COVID and high blood pressure?

There’s a complex connection between COVID and high blood pressure. Researchers are still learning about how the two conditions can affect one another. Here are four things experts have discovered so far.

1. COVID may cause high blood pressure

A growing body of research suggests an increased risk of developing high blood pressure after a COVID infection. This seems to be the case for people with both mild and severe COVID illness. But scientists aren’t exactly sure why COVID illness seems to lead to elevated blood pressure after COVID infection.

A 2023 study looked at more than 45,000 people 6 months after their COVID infection. Researchers found a significant association between COVID infection and the development of high blood pressure in people with no previous history of high blood pressure. About 20% of people hospitalized for COVID had high blood pressure 6 months later. Among those with a mild infection, 1 in 10 developed persistent high blood pressure. 

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Another large study from 2023 compared people without a COVID infection to those who had COVID illness. Those who had experienced COVID illness had a 70% higher risk of developing new-onset high blood pressure within the 7 months after their infection. 

More research is needed to better understand the relationship between getting sick with COVID and the risk of developing long-term high blood pressure. But since high blood pressure is common after COVID, experts recommend keeping a close eye on your blood pressure after the illness.

2. High blood pressure may increase the risk of severe COVID illness

Some people are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID illness. Older adults are at particular risk of severe COVID. People with underlying health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and chronic lung diseases such as COPD are also at a higher risk. 

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Researchers are still trying to understand what other factors might be involved when it comes to blood pressure and COVID risk. But many studies have identified high blood pressure as a risk factor for more severe illness. 

For example, one large study from China found that over 15% of people with serious COVID illness had high blood pressure but no other medical problems. 

A large meta-analysis from 2022 looked at data from around the world, including over 1 million people hospitalized with COVID. It found that about 1 in 4 people had underlying high blood pressure. In another study, even vaccinated people with high blood pressure were more likely to develop severe COVID illness.

But treating high blood pressure can make a big difference in the risk for severe COVID. One study looked at almost 10,000 adults with COVID and found that people with treated high blood pressure didn’t have an increased risk of severe COVID. In contrast, those with untreated high blood pressure were more likely to have worse COVID illness and a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). This suggests that if you have high blood pressure, keeping it well managed may reduce your risk of severe illness.

Ongoing clinical studies hope to define how high blood pressure truly affects your risk of severe COVID. 

3. Blood pressures went up during the COVID pandemic

It’s no surprise that the COVID pandemic caused blood pressures to go up. Rates of stress, anxiety, and insomnia all spiked during this time. During the pandemic, many people had to pause and change their routines, including diet and physical activities. All these things likely contributed to higher blood pressures.

The pandemic also limited access to healthcare. This meant that people with high blood pressure couldn’t get follow-up care or medication like normal. One study showed that follow-up visits for high blood pressure dropped by almost 40% in 2020. This means that people were less likely to see a decrease in their blood pressure.

Some experts believe that the widespread use of telemedicine may have helped prevent even worse outcomes. They also recommend broad use of home blood pressure monitoring to better manage blood pressure in the future. 

4. The COVID vaccine does not cause high blood pressure

There’s no evidence that the COVID vaccine causes high blood pressure as a side effect. There’s some evidence that getting a COVID vaccine can briefly raise your blood pressure. This may be due to nervousness associated with getting a vaccine, a pain response to the needle jab, or both.

A small study found that nine people experienced high blood pressure readings after getting their first COVID vaccine. But experts noted that these people didn’t have pre-vaccine blood pressure measurements for comparison, and many of them had pre-existing hypertension. Clinical trials are looking at whether people can have a short-term rise in their blood pressure after COVID vaccination.

Another study looked at available data on blood pressure after COVID vaccination. The scientists found that some studies showed a brief increase in blood pressure. But the risk of significant high blood pressure is rare and brief. Given the short- and long-term effects of COVID infection, experts agree that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risk of a temporary rise in blood pressure.

5 tips to reduce high blood pressure

Maintaining a normal blood pressure is important to your overall health. And it may decrease the risk of severe COVID-related illness.

Here are some tips to help you lower your blood pressure at home:

1. Maintain a body weight that’s comfortable for you. Having excess weight can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. If you have a heavier body weight and want to lose weight, losing just a few pounds may help.

2. Be intentional with your meal plan. Consider following an eating plan like the DASH diet, which aims to lower blood pressure. This includes limiting certain foods high in salt and fat while adding lots of fruits and veggies.

3. Reduce your salt intake. Most people in the U.S. consume too much salt. Aim for no more than 1,000 mg of salt per day. Reading nutrition labels can help with this. Opting for a salt alternative can also help you avoid getting too much salt while adding flavor to your meals. 

4. Stay physically active. You don’t need to get a gym membership to improve your heart health. Lots of activities can boost your heart health. Aim to do a mix of aerobic and resistance exercises, totaling around 150 minutes each week. 

5. Avoid heavy alcohol use. Regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol can lead to high blood pressure. Women should limit alcohol to one drink per day. Men should limit alcohol to two drinks per day.

High blood pressure can cause serious complications. You may need medication if you can’t lower it with diet and exercise. Your healthcare team can help you decide which treatment option is best for you.

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Written by:

Tracy Norfleet, MD, FACP

Dr. Tracy Norfleet is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician, health expert, and physician leader with over 20 years of experience practicing adult medicine. Dual-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Tracy possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both traditional medical practices and innovative lifestyle interventions for chronic disease management and reversal.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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