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High blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure or hypertension is something type 2 diabetics should be vigilant about. According to statistics, two thirds or 66 percent of type 2 diabetics are also diagnosed with high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure for everyone is 120/80 mmHg and a value of 140/90 mmHg indicates hypertension. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes keep blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg. However, for certain reasons, type 2 diabetics go beyond this prescribed level. What causes high blood pressure in type 2 diabetes? The increased blood sugar level in type 2 diabetes is one of the causes. Imagine what happens to blood when it's full of sugar? It will really...
High blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
High blood pressure or hypertension is something type 2 diabetics should be vigilant about. According to statistics, two thirds or 66 percent of type 2 diabetics are also diagnosed with high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure for everyone is 120/80 mmHg and a value of 140/90 mmHg indicates hypertension. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes keep blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg. However, for certain reasons, type 2 diabetics go beyond this prescribed level.
What causes high blood pressure in type 2 diabetes?
The increased blood sugar level in type 2 diabetes is one of the causes. Imagine what happens to blood when it's full of sugar? It becomes really viscous that its fluidity decreases. The sticky blood requires increased pressure to flow into the arteries and heart. Another cause would be the reduction in nitric oxide (NO) levels in the arteries of diabetics. Nitric oxide is a substance that allows blood flow and maintains the suppleness of blood vessels. Low levels of NO lead to stiffness and hardening of blood vessels, which then increases blood pressure. Increased fluid volume in diabetes also contributes to hypertension. Another culprit would be high blood insulin levels or hyperinsulinemia. Insulin has direct effects on the vascular system while promoting sodium retention.
What is the recommended treatment?
The following medications are typically used to control blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes:
- Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme-Inhibitoren oder ACE-Inhibitoren sind Arzneimittel mit dem Suffix „Pril“ wie Captopril, Benazepril und Fosinopril. ACE-Hemmer reduzieren die Spiegel durch Erweiterung der Blutgefäße. Dies geschieht durch Blockierung der Wirkung von Angiotensin II, einer Chemikalie, die die Arterien verengt.
- Beta-Blocker oder Beta-Adrenoblocker sind die „Olol“ -Medikamente wie Metoprolol, Betaxolol und Atenolol. Sie wirken, indem sie die Hormone Noradrenalin und Adrenalin blockieren und die Blutgefäße erweitern, um mehr Blutfluss zu ermöglichen.
- Calciumkanalblocker oder CCBs sind solche Medikamente mit „Ipin“ am Ende wie Felodipin, Amlodipin und Nifedipin. Sie verhindern Kalziumablagerungen in der Arterienschleimhaut, die den Blutfluss behindern und den Druck erhöhen können.
- Thiaziddiuretika wie Hydrochlorothiazid verringern das Flüssigkeitsvolumen im Körper, um den Spiegel zu senken.
Lifestyle changes such as eating low-carbohydrate and low-fat foods, increasing physical activity, and avoiding unhealthy habits improve the effects of these medications on blood pressure. Remember that blood pressure control is an important part of diabetes management as its elevations increase the risk of diabetic complications. Diabetics who currently have or are suffering from high blood pressure are at higher risk of suffering from stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.
Inspired by Jonathan Berns, D.C.