Posted on 08/24/2020 3:18:56 PM PDT by Signalman
Medication for high blood pressure could improve Covid-19 survival rates and reduce the severity of infection - according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
Researchers studied 28,000 patients taking antihypertensives - a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
They found that the risk of severe Covid-19 illness and death was reduced for patients with high blood pressure who were taking Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) or Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARB).
Lead researcher Dr Vassilios Vassiliou, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: "We know that patients with cardiovascular diseases are at particular risk of severe Covid-19 infection. But at the start of the pandemic, there was concern that specific medications for high blood pressure could be linked with worse outcomes for Covid-19 patients.
"We wanted to find out what the impact of these medications is for people with Covid-19.
"We therefore studied the outcomes for patients taking antihypertensives - looking particularly at what we call 'critical' outcomes such as being admitted to intensive care or being put on a ventilator, and death."
The research was led by UEA in collaboration with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
The team analysed data from 19 studies related to Covid-19 and ACEi and ARB medications. The meta-analysis involved more than 28,000 patients and is the largest and most detailed such study to date.
They compared data from Covid-19 patients who were taking ACEi or ARB medications with those who were not - focusing on whether they experienced 'critical' events (admission to intensive care and invasive or non-invasive ventilation) and death.
Dr Vassiliou said: "We found that a third of Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure and a quarter of patients overall were taking an ACEi/ARBs. This is likely due to the increasing risk of infection in patients with co-morbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes.
"But the really important thing that we showed was that there is no evidence that these medications might increase the severity of Covid-19 or risk of death.
"On the contrary, we found that there was a significantly lower risk of death and critical outcomes, so they might in fact have a protective role - particularly in patients with hypertension.
"Covid-19 patients with high blood pressure who were taking ACEi/ARB medications were 0.67 times less likely to have a critical or fatal outcome than those not taking these medications.
"As the world braces itself for a potential second wave of the infection, it is particularly important that we understand the impact that these medications have in Covid-19 patients.
"Our research provides substantial evidence to recommend continued use of these medications if the patients were taking them already.
"However, we are not able to address whether starting such tablets acutely in patients with Covid-19 might improve their prognosis, as the mechanism of action might be different," he added.
From the get go I wondered what the impact of ACE inhibitors would be. We knew early on that the virus binds to angiotensin receptors.
IIRC 6 months ago the medical scientists were saying the exact opposite.
Namely, ACE inhibitors made a person more vulnerable to a bad outcome with covid.
Anyone else remember the same????
More junk “sky-ence.”
Guess I’m good to go since I take hypertensive medication. Wanna hang out?
I take lisinopril.
That actually makes more sense.
That’s interesting. I read that some anti-hypertensives such as Lisinopril are associated with an increase in the ACE-2 receptors.
So is an increase in ACE-2 receptors a good thing or bad thing?
Of note: the university in the report is the same one that brought us Michael Mann’s climate emails scandal.
Climatic Research Unit email controversy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climatic_Research_Unit_email_controversy
Yes, and in theory that is why the ARBs are beneficial, since they effectively bind the receptor with its ACE mate. Still open whether ACE2 inhibitors are beneficial - this mentions ACEi and ARBs.
Yes, I certainly do and animal studies were 50:50 at the time on beneficial or not. And ace inhibitors vs. ARBs.
At any rate, I am on an ARB as well as amlodipine, which is better yet (according to Chinese in vivo experience).
Simple solution to the pandemic,,,,Make HCQ and Azithromycin OTC drugs so anyone who develops a cough and/or fever can go the nearest drug store and self medicate with the drugs along with Zinc Sulfate with correct dosage within 48 hours of symptoms and pandemic over.,,,,,instead of waiting a few days to get tested and 5 days for the results,,,,if over 60 years of age,,,,you’re dead.
I asked my cardiologist about that - I'm taking an ACE inhibitor - and he told me that it's pretty well established that ACE inhibitors either protect from CoVid or make it worse. "And wouldn't it be nice if I could tell the patient which one it is?" he asked me rather sourly. He had some other stuff to say about the current state of scientific publication that I'd get banned for posting...
Let me get this straight. If I take HiBP meds, smoke and wear a mask my chances of survival are greatly improved? This is what I’ve learned in the last week.
No— the discussion by Dr. Scheulte co-founder of continuing education provider MedCram discussed medications that would aid in blocking the ACE2 receptor on lung cells.
The two discussed (two different mechanisms) were: Ace Inhibitors, and more directly blocking.... the ACE Blockers (ARBs) Losartan, Candesartan... and the other ——artan agents in the class of drugs.
All this means is, people with controlled blood pressure survive longer. Duh!
IIRC 6 months ago the medical scientists were saying the exact opposite.
Namely, ACE inhibitors made a person more vulnerable to a bad outcome with covid.
Anyone else remember the same????
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Yes, I do remember that-because my Rx was not for Ace Inhibitors and thought I was fortunate.
Yes, that’s the impression I’m getting also.
After mitral valve repair surgery (minimally invasive) ten years ago, my doctors put me on both Lisinopril and Amlodipine. My BP never really improved that much.
Then I picked up smoking again with cigars. My BP hovered around the high mark even with the meds.
Then Covid happened and I cut down smoking by 75%. I took myself off of Lisinopril after reading about ACE2 receptors early in the pandemic.
So I’m just taking amlodipine and smoking 25% of previous. My BP is the best it has ever been (120 or 130 over 70 or so) and I read that there is an An inverse relationship between smoking and COVID-19.
My head is swirling!
Also, a cholesterol med helps: fenofibrate.
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