Changes in Psychological Profile and Cognitive Function in Patients with Arterial Hypertension Who Have Suffered From COVID-19 Under the Influence of Treatment

Abstract

Today, the issue of treatment and rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 is extremely relevant. A disease that has shaken the medical community, even after the patient recovers, can have serious consequences for health in the future. The greatest concern in the post-covid period is caused by rather serious and long-term complications (especially in patients who have experienced a severe form of COVID-19), which include: cardiovascular (damage to the heart muscle, exacerbation and progression of hypertension), respiratory, neurological (disturbance of sensation taste and smell, sleep disorders), psychological (depression, anxiety, mood swings) outcomes. In the modern population, there is an increased level of cognitive disorders. They have multifactorial nature, in particular, one of such pathogenetic factors is arterial hypertension (AH) and its complications, the frequency of post-stroke cognitive impairment from mild to severe grade reaches 60% during the first year. On the other hand, according to observations, treatment of AH can reduce the risk of dementia development. The results of the data analysis showed a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment in patients with AH in the post-epidemic period than in patients with elevated blood pressure (BP) who did not suffer from COVID-19. The objective: to analyze the frequency of anxiety-depressive disorders and cognitive function in patients with medically controlled AH who experienced COVID-19, and to evaluate the effectiveness of additional use of a combination of L-carnitine, L-arginine and coenzyme Q10 in the post-covid period. Materials and methods. 53 patients (24 women and 29 men) with a diagnosis of AH who treated with drug antihypertensive therapy and who recovered from COVID-19, were included in a prospective single-center study. Questionnaires (MMSE, SSS-8, PHQ-9) were chosen to assess anxiety-depressive disorders and cognitive function. The study participants were divided into two groups that did not differ in age and gender. In the first group standard treatment was added with a combination of L-arginine, L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10, the patients in the second group received standard therapy. Results. An additional effect on improved BP control only when used drug therapy in a complex with a combination of L-arginine, L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 was determined, as well as a positive effect on improved the clinical condition of patients with AH, restoration of the psychological state after a recovery from respiratory infection SARS-COV- 2. Conclusions. The patients with AH who have suffered from COVID-19 often have psychological changes and impaired cognitive function under the conditions of medical BP control. The use of a combination of L-arginine, L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 as part of complex therapy contributed to a more effective recovery of psychological and cognitive disorders, improvement of the subjective condition of patients due to the additional positive effect on the control of BP and heart rate.