Reduce Hypertension to Prevent Diabetes Complications
Reduce Hypertension to Prevent Diabetes Complications – Diabetes patients are more vulnerable to high blood pressure and according to the American Diabetes Association, 2 in 3 diabetics have high blood pressure, which can increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.
The recommended systolic (top number) pressure level for diabetics is 140 millimeters of mercury, but according to a new study, 130 or lower is even better. The study, which involved reviewing data from 40 trials, showed that reducing blood pressure by 10 points (from 140 to 130) can lead to a 13% reduction in the risk for death, 12% in coronary heart disease, and 26% in stroke.
The study also found that reducing high blood pressure can also reduce the risk for retinopathy (blindness caused by diabetes) by as much as 13% and kidney problems by 17%.
The study was published in JAMA.
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