CPD: Hypertension and diabetes. Bad companions.

Abstract

Diabetics are more likely to suffer from hypertension than non-diabetics. Factors that may contribute to the increased prevalence of hypertension in diabetics include: (i) Obesity (ii) Insulin resistance (iii) Renal disease (i.e.diabetic nephropathy). More than two thirds of diabetic patients have hypertension with a resultant sevenfold increase in mortality. Hypertensive diabetics with nephropathy have a 37-fold increase in mortality! The major problem in diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, is an increase in cardiovascular disease. Hypertension is also an important contributor to cardiovascular disease in diabetics. (SA Fam Pract 2004;46(9): 14)