If you suffer from high blood pressure, be additionally vigilant!

Why? Researchers in the European Heart Journal have found that those who have high blood pressure are twice as likely to die from the disease following hospitalisation.

According to a report in AFP, for in-patients who stopped taking medication for high blood pressure, the risk of dying doubles again.

"It is important that patients with high blood pressure realise that they are at increased risk of dying from COVID-19," said senior author Fei Li, a cardiologist at Xijing Hospital in Xian, China.

Findings based on observations

To come to such a conclusion, researchers in China and Ireland retroactively examined cases admitted to Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan between Feb 5 and March 15, where nearly 30 per cent or 850 patients had a history of high blood pressure.

Four per cent of those patients died, compared with just over one per cent of the 2,027 patients without the disease.

After adjusting for age, sex and other medical conditions, the researchers calculated that having high blood pressure increased the risk of dying two-fold.

While the authors of the study said their study was observational and not based on clinical trials, it’s always best to be aware and take precautions.

Stay safe everyone!