High Blood Pressure & Diabetes

High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the force of blood flow inside blood vessels is too high. This increased pressure causes the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body, which can contribute to serious health problems.

For example, people with diabetes and hypertension have nearly twice the risk of heart disease as people who only have hypertension.¹ Studies also show an increased risk of kidney damage, diabetic eye disease and stroke.

Causes of High Blood Pressure

According to the American Diabetes Association, about 73% of adults with diabetes also have high blood pressure or use prescription medications to treat hypertension.²

The causes of hypertension are unknown. But several factors may play a role in its development, including:³

heredity
race
age
inactive lifestyle
heavy alcohol consumption
salt sensitivity
being overweight
stress

Identifying High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms, so the only way to identify it is by having your blood pressure checked at every doctor visit. This is a quick, easy, and painless procedure -- something you've probably had done many times before.

Blood pressure is measured by two numbers, for example "130/90". Here's what they mean:

Systolic Pressure (130): The top, larger number measures the pressure generated when the heart contracts.
Diastolic Pressure (90): The bottom number measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.

In general, for people who don't have diabetes, a blood pressure reading below 120/80 is considered normal, and a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher is considered high blood pressure. In addition, prehypertension is blood pressure between 120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number.⁴

For people with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health recommend a target blood pressure of less than 130/80.⁵

If you have a high blood pressure reading, your doctor may recommend a series of additional blood pressure tests to determine whether you truly have high blood pressure.

Preventing and Treating High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can't be cured, and even though it can usually be controlled, it's far better not to develop it at all. You can reduce your chances of developing high blood pressure by:⁵

maintaining a healthy weight
being physically active, especially through aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, bicycling, and swimming
eating a healthy diet that includes daily servings of fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods
choosing foods lower in salt and fat
choosing lean meats
drinking alcohol in moderation
quitting smoking

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, your treatment will include the same things recommended for prevention. In addition, your doctor may also prescribe medication to control high blood pressure.⁵ The type and amount of medication will depend on your specific situation.

¹ American Diabetes Association/American College of Cardiology. "Hypertension in Diabetes." Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Review. Issue 2:1-4, 2002. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/uedocuments/ADACardioReview_2.pdf. Accessed February 28, 2008.
² American Diabetes Association. "Complication of Diabetes in the United States." Available at: http://diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/complications.jsp. Accessed March 5, 2008.
³ American Heart Association. "Factors that Contribute to High Blood Pressure." Available at: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4650. Accessed March 5, 2008.
⁴ U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. "What is High Blood Pressure?" Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Hbp/HBP_WhatIs.html. Accessed March 5, 2008.
⁵ American Diabetes Association. "Treating High Blood Pressure in People with Diabetes." Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/well-being/treating-high-bp.jsp. Accessed March 5, 2008.