AUTHOR=Lear-Claveras Ana , Oliván-Blázquez Bárbara , Clavería Ana , Couso-Viana Sabela , Puente-Comesaña Jesús , Magallón Botaya Rosa 

TITLE=Sex Differences in Clinical Parameters, Pharmacological and Health-Resource Utilization in a Population With Hypertension Without a Diagnosis of COVID-19

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 67 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604913

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1604913

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=Objective
To analyze changes in clinical parameters, pharmacological and healthcare resource use, between the 6 months prior to the lockdown and the 6 months following its end, in a population with hypertension who did not present COVID-19.
Methods
Real world data observational study of 245,979 persons aged ˃16 years registered as having diagnosis of hypertension in the electronic medical records of the Aragon Regional Health Service (Spain). Variables considered: clinical (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glomerular filtration, creatinine, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, waist circumference, body weight and BMI); pharmacological (dose per inhabitant per day of diuretics, calcium channel antagonists and ACE inhibitors); and utilization of healthcare resources (number of primary and hospital healthcare visits). Student’s T-test for matched samples and Chi-squared test were applied. 
Results
Blood pressure and renal function displayed a significant, albeit clinically irrelevant, worsening. Use of certain antihypertensive drugs and health-resource utilization remained below pre-pandemic levels across the 6 months post-lockdown. 
Conclusions
Changes in lifestyles, along with difficulties in access to routine care, appear to have compromised the health of persons with hypertension.