Vaccines (May 2022)

Significant Increase in Blood Pressure Following BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination among Healthcare Workers: A Rare Event

  • Nikolaos Syrigos,
  • Anastasios Kollias,
  • Dimitra Grapsa,
  • Eleni Fyta,
  • Konstantinos G. Kyriakoulis,
  • Ioannis Vathiotis,
  • Elias Kotteas,
  • Ekaterini Syrigou

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050745
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 5
p. 745

Abstract

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This brief report examined the frequency and characteristics of a significant blood-pressure (BP) increase after Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccination among healthcare workers who were advised to measure their BP at home. A total of 797 participants (mean age 48.1 ± 10.8 years, 63% women, 39% smokers) were included in the analysis. Seven participants reported an increase in their BP (three in the range of grade 2 and four in the range of grade 3 hypertension). Only one participant had a history of treated hypertension. The BP increase was observed at the end of the first week after the first dose, lasted for 3 to 4 days, and recurred promptly after the second dose. Only one case required hospitalization, mainly due to a history of cardiovascular disease (follow-up). Individuals experiencing a BP increase compared with those not reporting issues with their BP had a higher mean age and similar distribution of sex and non-smoking status. In conclusion, a significant BP increase after Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination seems to be rare and of a benign and transient nature. Monitoring the BP before and after vaccination might be advisable only for selected individuals with a high cardiovascular risk.

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