Cutting Hypertension Medication Can Prevent Kidney Injury in Patients With COVID-19

In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), eliminating or reducing high blood pressure (HBP) medication if blood pressure becomes hypotensive could help prevent acute kidney injury and death, according to the results of a new study presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension 2020 Scientific Sessions.

To determine which patients with COVID-19 were at highest risk for kidney damage, investigators examined 392 patients treated at a hospital in Italy between March 2 and April 25, 2020. They found that nearly 60% of the patients had a history of hypertension, making it the most common comorbidity among the participants.

Investigators also found that more than 86% of patients with HBP were taking daily antihypertensive medication. A history of hypertension was found to increase the risk of acute kidney injury 5-fold, the study results showed.

The most common group of patients with COVID-19 who developed acute kidney injury during hospitalization were those who were elderly, who were hypertensive, or who had severe respiratory distress. Those with severe hypotension (blood pressure level < 95/50 mm Hg) were 9 times more likely to have acute kidney injury, according to the study.

REFERENCE

Research on the impact of ACE-i and ARBs for patients with COVID-19 continues to evolve.News release. American Heart Association. September 10, 2020. Accessed September 24, 2020. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/research-on-the-impact-of-ace-i-and-arbs-for-patients-with-covid-19-continues-to-evolve