Covid-19 and hypertension. is there a possible risk mitigant?

[unblock]

Can't find the thread, but I saw somewhere where half of the fatalities (at least in that study) were linked to hypertension.

There are several medications available that lower blood pressure.

Does this news suggest that one of these medications (or maybe any of them) could help lower the lethality of covid-19?

Or is it too late by the time symptoms show?

Ianad

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. I was just diagnosed w/hypertension

I’m 62, doc put me on Ramipril (sp?)

He said he doesn’t consider me to be in the high risk group for COVID.

[mainer]

2. I don't understand why hypertension should be a risk factor

It's unrelated to pulmonary function, and in otherwise healthy patients, it shouldn't affect the immune system. Could the hypertension link be more an association with older age? (Older patients more likely to be hypertensive.)

[berni_mccoy]

3. That's not true at all.

Extreme hypertension can cause build up of fluid in the lungs. Symptoms from COVID-19 can also raise BP and if a person already has severe hypertension, could trigger a stroke or heart attack.

[mainer]

7. That's extreme hypertension

And those people are already pretty sick.

What about those who are otherwise healthy with moderate hypertension in the range of 140 - 160 systolic?

(p.s. I am an M.D. and have seen my fair share of pulmonary edema)

[uponit7771]

6. Half of the deaths from Wuhan had hypertension

[mainer]

8. That's what I'm reacting to. The report of the fatality/hyptertensive link

I myself am a physician, and I'm puzzled by this.

[berni_mccoy]

4. The best thing to do is to treat hypertension per your doctor's orders

Getting COVID-19 could cause an increase in BP as many respiratory illnesses already do.

[unblock]

5. Sounds like this information isn't necessarily useful then?

This suggests that maybe doctors treating covid-19 cases would already be monitoring bp and treating to try to lower it already anyway?