It’s known that many African Americans living with diabetes often deal with high blood pressure. This puts the community at an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.
Now, according to a new study, diabetes patients taking medication for high blood pressure may be at high risk for heart attack, UPI.com reported.
READ: Explore Your Diabetes Treatment Options
The study conducted by Swedish researchers found that diabetic patients with a systolic blood pressure below 140, prior to any antihypertensive drug treatment, had a higher chance of having a heart attack.
A systolic pressure above 140 and diastolic pressure above 90 is typically considered high blood pressure. More than 40 percent of Blacks have high blood pressure in America, according to the American Heart Association. High blood pressure is also referred to as HBP or hypertension.
Also, higher rates of obesity and diabetes among African Americans put us at higher risk for high blood pressure and heart diseases.
READ: 7 Diabetes Management Plan Essentials
Meanwhile, African Americans are almost twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than whites, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.
Therefore, with diabetes and high blood pressure being linked in the Black community, the Swedish study is concerning for Blacks.
According to the study, effects of high blood pressure medication depend on the blood pressure level of the patient before treatment. If the systolic blood pressure before treatment was higher than 140, a decreased risk of death, stroke and heart attack was associated with treatment.
Researchers, however, say the high blood pressure treatment is still important for diabetic patients.
READ: The 8 People You Need On Your Diabetes Care Team
“At the same time, it is important to remember that blood pressure lowering treatment is crucial for the majority of people with diabetes whose blood pressure measures above 140,” Mattias Brunström, a doctoral student at the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University, said in a press release.
The study was based on patients with type-2 diabetes and previous antihypertensive treatment. Researchers don’t have a conclusion on patients with type-1 diabetes or patients with diabetes and normal blood pressure levels.
The researchers hope their study will influence international treatment guidelines.
“In practice, it is important to remember that undertreatment of high blood pressure is a bigger problem than overtreatment,” Brunström says. “Many treatment guidelines, both Swedish and international, will be redrawn in the next few years. It has been discussed to recommend even lower blood pressure levels for people with diabetes – maybe as low as 130.”
By subscribing, you consent to receive emails from BlackDoctor.com. You may unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy & Terms of Service.
