Pandemic blamed for rise in women’s high blood pressure

QUINCY, Mass. — The pandemic is causing health concerns for many Americans. One more has just been announced after a three-year study done by the journal “Circulation.” COVID is now believed to be the cause of a rise in blood pressure rates among men and women but especially in women.

“I would agree,” said Alea Mandel of Quincy.

“I’m def[initely] more nervous about going out in general as far as the social life aspect,” she said.

And while stress is one factor, it’s mostly long-term chronic stress.

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“So many areas of health deteriorated during that time, and now here’s another one,” said Dr. James Udelson, a cardiologist at Tufts Medical Center.

Dr. Udelson said women in this study had higher blood pressure rates than men.

“They went thru showing small but important changes in blood pressure in women and men…it was a little more in women,” Dr. Udelson said.

He adds, over time, that impacts women’s health.

“Those changes have been associated with increases in heart attack and stroke and mortality. So those are actually important small changes in a population,” Dr Udelson said.

But not every woman agrees the pandemic is to blame.

“I don’t think it’s just from COVID. They’re working as much as men do now; they’re all in the workforce,” said Donna McCone of Braintree.

Still, Mandel said she avoids going out to socialize, works from home and did her Christmas shopping online – stress factors she didn’t deal with before the pandemic.

“Mostly because I’m just afraid to get any exposure to it, especially as the rates go up,” Mandel said.

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And there is one the other key factor for women, according to Dr. Udelson.

“The burden, the day-to-day burden falls harder on women just because of child care and not being able to remotely work as well or juggling everything,” he said.

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