Study Supports Use of Medications for BP Lowering in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Blood pressure-lowering treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and heart disease events and improved mortality, revealed a study by George Institute for Global Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K. The authors suggested that the findings support the use of medications for BP lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with a substantially increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and by 2030, it is estimated that there will be at least 400 million individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus worldwide. Blood pressure (BP) levels are on average higher among individuals with diabetes and increased BP is a risk factor for people with diabetes.

Researchers conducted a review and meta-analysis of large-scale randomized controlled trials of BP-lowering treatment including patients with diabetes, published between January 1966 and October 2014. Researchers found that each 10-mm Hg lower systolic BP was associated with a lower risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease events, coronary heart disease events, stroke, albuminuria (the presence of excessive protein in the urine), and retinopathy (loss of vision related to diabetes).

The study is published in the February 10 issue of 'JAMA'.

Source: Medindia