High blood pressure can bring down life expectancy of diabetes patients

If you are diabetic, control your blood pressure levels if you want to live and long and healthy life. Rad on to know more.

By: IANS | | Updated: December 10, 2019 6:39 pm

Certain foods are found to be effective in lowering blood pressure. © Shutterstock

Diabetes and high blood pressure have a very close relationship. Each condition can make the other worse and this can lead to more complications. If you have diabetes, your risk of death of cardiovascular diseases goes up considerably. Therefore, it is extremely important to maintain healthy levels of blood pressure. This will bring down the risk of other complications too. Also Read - Commonly used blood pressure medications safe for COVID-19 patients

Middle-aged adults recently diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension have some time to effect lifestyle changes to control their high blood pressure (BP). Also Read - Hypertension: 7 Common myths about high blood pressure debunked

If they make such changes within a year, the loss to their life expectancy is only two days. But if they wait 10 years, it cuts down life expectancy by almost five months, according to a new study. Also Read - What happens to your body when you eat too much salt

High BP is especially damaging for diabetics, raising their risk of stroke, coronary artery disease, kidney failure, vision loss and amputations.

“For newly diagnosed patients, this means we have time,” said study author Neda Laiteerapong, instructor of medicine at the University of Chicago.

“Most patients would prefer to control their blood pressure through diet and exercise rather than with medications, and it can take months to learn how to change old habits and master new skills.

“Our results indicate that it’s OK to spend from six months to a year, perhaps even longer, to make the difficult lifestyle changes that are necessary and will pay off in the long run.”

Both the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the National Institutes of Health recommend a lower BP target for patients with diabetes than for the general public.

Two out of three adults with diabetes, however, never reach that goal. Others are delayed by what the authors call “clinical inertia,” a disinclination by patients to implement lifestyle changes or reluctance by their doctors to push additional medications.

Among those who are prescribed blood pressure drugs, at least 20 percent of patients with diabetes do not stick to their treatments.

Source: IANS

Published : December 10, 2019 6:33 pm | Updated:December 10, 2019 6:39 pm

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms: Know how to deal with it

Say ‘yes’ to probiotics for a healthy vaginal microbiome

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com

+91 – 22 – 6697 1234

91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

We respect your privacy

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms: Know how to deal with it

Say ‘yes’ to probiotics for a healthy vaginal microbiome

About The health Site

Useful Links