Hypertension associated with twice as long recovery, increased risk for persisting symptoms
By Sravya Valiveti. This article was initially published in our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.
New research from NYU Langone Health reveals that a diagnosis of hypertension in those who received concussion care was strongly linked to a longer concussion recovery period compared to those without hypertension. The data also showed that hypertension was related to an increased likelihood of a post-concussion syndrome diagnosis. Additionally, their research states that hypertension is a significant risk factor associated with persistent concussion symptoms. The recovery period was an average of 465 days for those with a hypertension diagnosis, almost twice as long as the recovery duration of 240 days for study participants who did not have hypertension. Even though the research team noted a similar trend with hypertension and elevated BMI, the evidence was less conclusive to ascertain how elevated BMI may relate to longer concussion recovery.
This research was presented as a poster by Sara Hyman, a research coordinator in the department of neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, at the American Neurological Association annual meeting; Healio Neurology reported on the presentation and study findings. In a conversation with Healio, Hyman noted, “Literature right now is unclear on how hypertension or elevated body mass index might relate to patients with a concussion. A lot of underserved Americans are unable to get concussion care who also have hypertension and elevated BMI.”
The research team analyzed data from 422 people with and without hypertension who received concussion care at the NYU Langone Health Concussion Center between September 2013 and August 2022. The research team wanted to assess how hypertension is related to BMI, recovery period, and concussion symptoms requiring follow-up care. The patients studied had no previous medical history of concussions and did not sustain a second concussion between follow-up visits. Patients had either an official hypertension diagnosis before their initial visit or medication prescriptions for blood pressure. Their BMI was assessed based on a binary guideline or a continuous BMI scale during their visit to the center.
These findings would signify that a prior diagnosis of hypertension and elevated BMI is more likely to increase a patient’s risk for persistent symptoms after a concussion, as well as lead to a more extended recovery period that may require close monitoring and additional follow-up care.