Title:Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Hypertension: How Anti-hypertensive
Drugs Affect COVID-19 Medications and Vice Versa
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Aida Doostkam, Alireza Hosseinpour, Kamyar Iravani, Leila Malekmakan, Abdolreza Haghpanah, Fatemeh Masjedi, Zeinab Karimi, Hossein Rouzbeh and Jamshid Roozbeh*
Affiliation:
- Shiraz Nephro-Urology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Keywords:
Blood pressure, COVID-19, drug interaction, hypertension, SARS-CoV-2, cardiovascular disease.
Abstract:
Background: As a medical problem, hypertension is one of the most common disorders
in cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure has been identified as one of the most familiar risk
factors for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We planned to explore the possible interactions between
anti-hypertensive agents and drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 with broad investigations of these
medications' mechanism of action and adverse effects.
Methods: Two co-authors searched the electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar)
to collect papers relevant to the subject. The keywords searched were angiotensin-converting
enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs), sympatholytic drugs (alpha-1
blockers, beta-blockers), vasodilators (calcium channel blockers, nitrates, and hydralazine), diuretics,
chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir, favipiravir, interferons,
azithromycin, anti-cytokine agents, glucocorticoids, anticoagulant agents, nitric oxide, and epoprostenol.
Results: QT prolongation, arrhythmia, hypokalemia, hypertriglyceridemia are the most dangerous
adverse effects in the patients on COVID-19 medications and anti-hypertensive drugs.
Conclusion: This review emphasized the importance of the potential interaction between drugs
used against COVID-19 and anti-hypertensive agents. Therefore, caution must be exercised when
these medications are being used simultaneously.