Long COVID Linked to Higher Risk of High Blood Pressure, Swedish Study Finds

A Swedish study involving more than 1.2 million people has found an association between long COVID and an increased risk of developing high blood pressure.

The link was seen even among people whose initial coronavirus infection did not require hospital treatment, suggesting the association is not limited to those who experienced severe illness.

The findings draw attention to a potential health concern after the acute phase of COVID-19 has passed. For people experiencing long COVID, the study points to blood pressure as another aspect of health that may warrant attention.

However, an association does not establish that long COVID directly causes hypertension. The findings provided do not specify the size of the increased risk or explain what might account for the link.