What to Do for Patients with Hypertension During COVID-19?

Hypertension is one of the most common comorbid diseases with the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is an important risk factor for mortality. Patients with hypertension have a poor prognosis, but there is no evidence that hypertension increases the risk of new infections or adverse outcomes, regardless of age or other risk factors. At the beginning of the pandemic, controversial statements were made that some drugs frequently used in the treatment of hypertension increased morbidity and mortality owing to COVID-19. However, there is no scientific evidence to support these explanations, and the need to continue drug therapy is emphasized. Efforts to monitor and maintain physical and psychological well-being are the most important issues to be considered in patient management strategies during the pandemic. For the subsequent management of patients with hypertension, home blood pressure monitoring strategies will facilitate good blood pressure control by maintaining social distance. The purpose of this review article is to examine the studies investigating the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and hypertension in the literature, to convey the latest guideline-based information on the effective management of hypertension, and to emphasize the necessity of using technological approaches in nursing practices to maintain the effective management of hypertension in this process.