The Pandemic Raised Our Blood Pressure

Photo: Peter Dazeley / Getty Images

I hate when people say this to me, but: Maybe you need to calm down. On Monday, new research was published in Circulation observed that blood pressure readings among adults in the US increased significantly last year, especially among women. After a year marked by infinity sadness, exhausted, decrease saving account, and an ever-changing virus looms over our heads, I can’t say I’m surprised.

Dr. Luke Laffin, lead author of the study, knows that the pandemic has rewritten people’s daily lifestyles – less regular health care, less exercise and sleep, and more drinking – and he and the researchers wanted to know if a pandemic would happen. also change blood pressure. Turns out, it is, and not for the better. While blood pressure measurements did not fluctuate much from 2019 to early 2020, the pandemic months from April to December 2020 saw a significant increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. stretch. (Systolic blood pressure measures the pressure exerted by a beating heart; this is the top number on your blood pressure reading. Diastolic pressure measures the pressure in your arteries between beats – the bottom number. together.)

The study of half a million adults found that although both men and women had higher blood pressure, women saw larger increases all around. The researchers couldn’t confirm the reasons for the disparity, but they do have some conjectures, pointing to the data that the pandemic has placed a disproportionate burden on women, especially working women home. The researchers concluded that the increase was “multifactorial” and emphasized that major contributing factors could include chronic stress and lack of care: Many people have “lost touch” with the system. healthcare during the pandemic months and neglect their personal health outside of the obvious COVID-related issues.

But elevated blood pressure is a problem whose effects will linger after the pandemic. High blood pressure, tends to incommensurate affects black Americans, can cause harm to blood vessels and arteries as well as vital organs, such as the heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes, and can cause heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes.

Anyway, if you’re reading this, now might be a good time to get your jaws clenched. Maybe even sway a little?