CINCINNATI (WKRC) – A warning from those tracking this latest coronavirus surge: A new study shows another silent but dangerous trend also appears to be on the rise.

There are new concerns that this may be yet another secondary casualty of the pandemic. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic recently found this pandemic has taken a serious toll on our blood pressure.

“We studied almost 500,000 individuals, and we looked at pre-pandemic changes in blood pressure and during the pandemic changes in blood pressure to assess if some of the consequences of the pandemic would increase blood pressure, and we definitely saw that,” said Dr. Luke Laffin, a cardiologist with the Cleveland Clinic.

Cleveland Clinic researchers say when blood pressure numbers go up, it raises the risk of complications for heart attacks and strokes. Since so many of us want to avoid busy emergency rooms and hospitals right now due to this COVID-19 surge, it also means we may be reluctant to seek help.

Health care providers at The Christ Hospital say that’s a dangerous trend.

“By the time they present, you can be really sick and present with severe, severe medical problems and not even realize how much trouble you’re in until it’s too late,” said Dr. Thomas Lamarre, an infectious disease specialist at The Christ Hospital.

Researchers in this study not only found our blood pressure went up in the worst of lockdowns between April and December 2020, they also found it hit almost all of us, no matter what age or gender.

Women, however, were impacted the most. Researchers say it likely hasn’t dropped either because not only can the virus itself raise blood pressure, but so can a sedentary lifestyle, stress, more alcohol and less sleep.

Since many of us still are continuing these habits, this team warns we could see a risk in complications, such as these heart attacks and strokes, for the next decade -- a sad after-effect, but one that, if we pay attention to now, we can still intervene on.