Type 2 diabetics have a higher rate of hypertension or high blood pressure than non-diabetics… in fact it is so common you have twice the risk when you have type 2 diabetes. Hypertension raises both your risk for heart attack, stroke and other complications of diabetes.
Blood pressure is read as two numbers, for example 130/80 and is described as 130 over 80. The top number is the amount of pressure against your blood vessel walls as your heart beats and pushes blood through your blood vessels. The second, or bottom number, is the pressure when your heart rests between beats.
Blood pressure changes throughout the day and is affected by activity, rest, temperature, diet, emotional state, and medications.
People with type 2 diabetes have hypertension more often than those people without diabetes, for many reasons including:
being prone to kidney disease having an increased sensitivity to salt (salt raises blood pressure) not being prone to a reduction in blood pressure during the night time as normally occurs in people without diabetes
When blood moves through your vessels with too much force, your blood pressure is high. This will cause your heart to work harder than usual. All the complications of diabetes are made worse by hypertension, especially diabetic kidney disease but also:
eye disease heart disease nerve disease peripheral disease and cerebral arterial disease
The target level for type 2 diabetes:
Because type 2 diabetes and hypertension raises your risk for complications, people with type 2 diabetes have a lower blood pressure target than non diabetics. The recommended target for diabetics is less than 130/80 mmHg. A report from the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study, 1998 states that lowering your blood pressure by 10 mgHg systolic and 5mmHg diastolic results in a 24 per cent reduction in any diabetic complication and a 32 per cent reduction in death related to diabetes.
How is hypertension treated?
lifestyle changes as well as prescribed medications
1. Lifestyle changes will include:
losing excess weight following a healthy eating plan reducing your salt intake… use herbs and spices to flavor food instead of using salt choosing “no added salt” foods avoiding processed food
2. Regular physical activity on five or more days/week… brisk walking for 30 minutes, swimming or cycling will all help
3. Drink alcohol in moderation… no more than two standard drinks a day for males and one for females is recommended. Reducing heavy drinking can lower your high systolic level by up to 10 mmHg
4. Medications… sometimes more than one medication is required to reduce your blood pressure to within the target level and will depend on other medical issues. You may also need cholesterol lowering medications.
Every lifestyle change to help your hypertension also reduces your blood sugar levels.
Keeping your blood pressure under control is an important part of type 2 diabetes care. Hypertension affects 44% of people with diabetes and only 10% of non-diabetics. If you would like to download a free copy of my E-Book, click here now: Answers to Your Questions… it’s based on questions diabetics have asked over recent months.Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes. http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com/blog
