A study reveals a hidden link between hypertension medications and coronavirus

As the world continues to seek a drug or vaccine against the novel coronavirus, scientists are trying to find what drugs are available for a treatment that may reduce the severity of the disease that has afflicted millions and killed hundreds of thousands.

The latest endeavors revealed, through a new study, that widely used high blood pressure medications may help protect against acute symptoms of Covid-19, contrary to what was previously thought.

The results of the study allay fears that hypertension drugs can exacerbate the disease caused by the virus.

Researchers said in a study published in the journal "European Heart", "In general, the risk of death in patients with high blood pressure was twice as high as that of others, and they also increased the possibility of needing ventilators."

But the risk of dying from the "Covid-19" epidemic among those taking any type of medication to control high blood pressure was much lower than those who were not treated for high blood pressure, in a study that included about 2,900 patients admitted in February and March of the Huoshenshan Hospital. In Wuhan, China, the original epicenter.

Several previous research had indicated that the drugs might increase the severity of the "Covid-19" disease.

"We were very surprised because these results did not support our initial assumptions. In fact, the results were in the opposite direction," said Fei Lee, the researcher involved in the study.

The researcher added that the evidence so far is the result of observational studies and not clinical trials, but for the time being "we suggest that people not stop or change the usual treatment for high blood pressure unless the doctor orders it."

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend that patients continue to take their high blood pressure medications. Doctor Luis Roelop of the October 12 Hospital in Madrid said in the editorial that the results open the door to the possibility of studying the use of these drugs as a treatment for patients with the novel coronavirus.