Hypertension

High blood sugars increase the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure).
Blood pressure (BP) is the measurement of pressure inside your heart and arteries. When arteries become rigid and inflexible due to high cholesterol, scar tissue and damage from irritation (smoke, high blood sugars, adrenalin from high stress levels) it causes the BP to increase.

Blood pressure is written as two numbers.
The first number (the higher number) is called the ìsystolic pressureî. This number is the pressure inside your heart when your heart is pumping blood out through the arteries to the body. The second number (lower) is the ìdiastolic pressureî. This is the pressure inside the heart when the heart is relaxed and is filling up with blood.

High blood pressure is defined as either number (systolic or diastolic) being greater than 140/90 mmHg. Hypertension usually does not have any symptoms. It is frequently called the ìsilentî disease.

Symptoms of hypertension are:

• Headache
• Blurred vision
• Chest pain
• Frequent urination
• Ruddy complexion
• Nosebleed

Hypertension is twice as common in diabetics than in non-diabetics.

• In type I diabetics, hypertension is linked with length of diabetes and kidney disease.
• In type 2 diabetes, hypertension is linked with high blood sugars, obesity and high cholesterol levels.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recommended that diabetics keep their BP to less than130/80 mmHg due to the great risk of future heart disease.

Prevention
Take these steps to decrease artery disease:

• Keep your blood pressure les than 130/80 mmHg
• Keep your blood sugars under good control. Aim for blood sugars of 80 mg/dl-120mg/dl before meals, and 100 mg/dl-140 mg/dl at bedtime.
• Keep your Hemoglobin A1c (a 3 month average blood sugar test) at 7% or less.
• Donít smoke
• Eat a healthy diet
• Lose weight if needed. Losing even 10-20 pounds can help.
• Exercise most days
• Work with your health care team to lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Your doctor may also advise you take certain drugs to help lower your risk of heart attack.

Questions?
If you have further questions about hypertension, contact your diabetes healthcare team.

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