COVID-19 IMPACT ON THE PREVALENCE OF SUBCLINICAL HYPERTENSION AMONG PRACTICALLY HEALTHY MEDICAL STUDENTS. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yufereva, Yulia; Shevchenko, Oleg; Ginzburg, Leonid; Zakirzyanov, Artem; Shevchenko, Alex
• Is Part Of: Journal of hypertension. Volume 40(2022)Supplement 1
• Page Start: e175
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Hypertension -- Periodicals; Hypertension -- Periodicals; 616.132005
• DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000837160.86753.3b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-5598

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Silent arterial hypertension is not rare among young adults suffering chronic distress like medical students. COVID-19 pandemic with increased fears and anxiety, social isolation, distant learning, and decreased ACE2 receptor activity could boost hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors. The study was aimed to compare the frequency of subclinical hypertension in cohorts of 'apparently healthy' young adults revealed before the COVID-19 pandemic and two years after its onset. Design and method: Medical students without any known diseases or apparent signs of 'health problems' enrolled. 24-hour BP monitoring and test questioning with "International Physical Activity Questionnaire" and "The Perceived Stress Scale-10" were performed in 'pre-COVID' November and December of 2019 (Group 1) and the same months of 'peak-COVID' of 2021 (Group 2). Results: A total of 160 students aged 19 to 26 years were enrolled (group 1, n = 74; group 2, n = 86). The groups did not differ with respect to gender, age, body mass index (BMI) or physical activity (table). The proportion of participants with high perceived stress level (24 and more points) was higher in group 2 vs group 1 (58.1% vs 11.2%, p < 0.001). Masked hypertension prevalence and average values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) did not differ between groups, however daytime and nighttime BP load index was significantly higher in group 2 vs group 1 for both SBP and DBP. Conclusions: Despite the absence of significant differences in the mean BP variables, when compared with similar group from 'pre-COVID' period, 'apparently healthy' students examined after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic had significantly worsened day and night BP load indexes. These changes correlated with the increase of perceived stress levels.