Background
The effect of chronic use of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors on the severity of COVID-19 infection is still unclear in patients with hypertension. We aimed to investigate the association between chronic use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and COVID-19 related outcomes in hypertensive patients.
Methods
A single center study was conducted on 133 consecutive hypertensive subjects presenting to the Emergency Department with acute respiratory symptoms and/or fever who were diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between 9th and 31st March 2020.
Results
All patients were grouped according to their chronic antihypertensive medications (ACEIs, N=40; ARBs, N=42; not on RAAS inhibitors, N=51). There was no statistical difference between ACEIs and ARBs groups in terms of hospital admission rate, oxygen therapy and need for non-invasive ventilation. Patients chronically treated with RAAS inhibitors showed a significantly lower rate of admission to semi-intensive/intensive care units, when compared to the non-RAAS population (odds ratio [OR] 0.25, CI95% 0.09-0.66 p=0.006). Similarly, the risk of mortality was lower in the former group, although not reaching statistical significance (OR 0.56, CI95% 0.17-1.83, p=0.341).
Conclusions
Our data suggest that chronic use of RAAS inhibitors does not negatively affect clinical course of COVID-19 in hypertensive patients. Further studies are needed to confirm this finding and determine whether RAAS inhibitors may have a protective effect on COVID 19-related morbidity and mortality.
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