Media releases

A Federation University Australia study has helped allay fears that high blood pressure and taking medication for the condition increases the risk of coronavirus infection and complications.

The research follows widespread speculation that having high blood pressure and taking medications used to treat hypertension could increase the possibility of infection or a severe outcome from COVID-19.

The concern stemmed from the knowledge that the ACE2 protein, found on the surface of some human cells such as the lungs and kidney are used by the coronavirus as an anchor to gain entry into, and infect, cells.

It has been thought that high blood pressure (hypertension) and medications used to treat it may increase the expression of the ACE2 protein.

Federation University researcher Fadi Charchar helped lead an international group of researchers who used gene expression data from a collection of kidney samples and experimental models to study the effects of hypertension and medications to treat the condition on ACE2 expression.

The kidney is of particular interest as it naturally produces a high level of ACE2, and is an organ often affected by coronavirus in severe cases.

They found that ACE2 expression is not affected by hypertension or its medications, providing strong biological evidence to support advice that people with high blood pressure should continue to take their medications as prescribed.

It also provides reassurance that those with high blood pressure are not at increased risk of infection or a severe outcome from COVID-19.

The research has been published in the prestigious European Heart Journal. “Hypertension and renin-angiotensin system blockers are not associated with expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in the kidney”, by Xiao Jiang et al. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa794. Link https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa794

Quotes attributable to Federation University Graduate Research School Dean, Fadi Charchar

“These results provide important information for the medical community, and those who suffer from high blood pressure, providing important knowledge and reassurance to those concerned about the impact of their condition and medication on their coronavirus risks.”

 “At a time when there is so much more to know about coronavirus, we are pleased to help increase our understanding of the disease and ensure we are not making decisions about existing medications that could put lives at risk.”

Quotes attributable to University of Manchester, Professor Maciej Tomaszewski

 “Our study provides strong biological evidence to support the advice from the medical authorities that people with high blood pressure should continue to take their blood pressure medications as prescribed.”

Quotes attributable to University College London, Professor Bryan Williams

“The speculation about whether high blood pressure and the drugs we commonly use to treat it, increased the risks associated with Covid-19 infection caused a lot of anxiety for many millions of people treated for high blood pressure.

“This new research refutes the prior speculation that the drugs we commonly use to treat high blood pressure leads to an increase in the receptors for COVID-19 on the surface of the lungs. It is a really important finding.”

Quotes attributable to University of Glasgow, Professor Tomasz Guzik

“Age-related increases occur in the lungs explaining age as a risk factor for COVID-19 but also importantly – in the kidneys. This opens a new necessity to look at renal disease as a possible short term as well as long term consequence of COVID-19.”