Physicians have issued new guidelines that stress the importance of lowering blood pressure in people with diabetes.

Heart disease is one of the major complications in diabetes. There are thought to be around 11 million people in the US who are especially at risk because they have both hypertension and diabetes. For this group, there's great benefit to be had in keeping blood pressure under good control.

Till now, advice for people with diabetes has concentrated mainly on keeping blood sugar under control. But now the American College of Physicians has issued some new guidance that puts the spotlight on blood pressure. A person with diabetes and high blood pressure should aim to get their blood pressure down to less than 135/80 mm Hg. Thiazide diuretics and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are both useful first-line treatments, but for many people combination therapy will be necessary to get good control. These new guidelines have emerged from the latest evidence on blood pressure, heart disease and mortality among people with diabetes.

Source

Annals of Internal Medicine 31st March 2003