Long COVID linked to new high blood pressure in adults
The adjusted hazard ratio—a comparison of rates over time—was 1.14 for new high blood pressure in adults with versus without a long COVID diagnosis.
An observational cohort study followed 1,221,570 adults aged 18 to 65 in Stockholm who had no previous high blood pressure or hospitalisation for acute COVID-19. Researchers used health records from October 2020 to January 2025. They identified long COVID through doctors’ diagnoses and counted new diagnoses of high blood pressure. Of the adults, 8,365 had a long COVID diagnosis.
After accounting for age, socioeconomic status, other illnesses, mental health and earlier use of health care, long COVID remained associated with new high blood pressure. The adjusted hazard ratio was 1.14 compared with adults without diagnosed long COVID. A value above one indicates a higher rate. The association appeared in both women and men.
Why it matters
Blood pressure matters for cardiovascular health and healthy aging. The authors called for structured monitoring and risk management for people with persistent post-COVID symptoms.
Caveats
This observational study could not establish that long COVID caused high blood pressure. It relied on recorded diagnoses and excluded adults over 65 and people hospitalised for acute COVID-19.
The paper
Long-COVID Associated With Incident Hypertension: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Department of Medicine Solna Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden; Care Sciences and Society Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
Journal of the American Heart Association, 10 Oct 2026
