Type 2 Diabetes and High Blood Pressure: What’s The Connection?

Hypertension is a widespread, chronic lifestyle condition characterized by a rise in blood pressure. If your blood pressure levels are higher than 130mm/80 mm Hg, the American Heart Association classifies you as a hypertensive patient. High blood pressure is called a ‘silent killer’ because it does not show any symptoms in its early stages. However, ignoring high blood pressure for a long time can cause various health complications even potentially prove fatal. In addition, hypertension often co-occurs with type 2 diabetes, another common chronic condition. Let us learn more about how diabetes and high blood pressure are connected.

How are Diabetes and High Blood Pressure Linked?

Diabetes and high blood pressure are both lifestyle conditions, and one often increases the risk of developing the other. Though the exact relationship between the two conditions is unknown, the following factors contribute to both of them:

• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Chronic inflammation in the body
• High sodium and carbohydrate diet

Symptoms of High Blood Pressure and Diabetes

A combination of high blood pressure with diabetes is said to be lethal, according to the American Diabetes Association. Having either one of the conditions increases one’s risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Having both together increases it substantially. If you have diabetes with high blood pressure, you will most likely not experience any signs or symptoms of them early on. However, some risk factors that you need to watch out for are:

• Family history of heart disease
• High-fat and high-sodium diet
• High cholesterol levels
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Lack of physical activity
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Presence of other chronic diseases (e.g. hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease)

How to Manage High Blood Pressure with Diabetes?

Diabetes and high blood pressure treatment and management in people who have both the conditions include:

• Medication: You will be prescribed medication for both hypertension and type 2 diabetes based on your overall health and the cause of the conditions. Any type 2 diabetes medicines that can increase your cholesterol/lipid levels and trigger increased blood pressure need to be avoided.
• Healthy diet: You must modify your diet to reduce your sodium and sugar intake to bring your blood pressure and blood sugar levels down.
• Quick smoking and limit your alcohol intake.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Workout for a minimum of 30 minutes every day or a total of 150 minutes in a week.
• Visit your doctor regularly to get your blood pressure and blood sugar levels checked.

Conclusion

No matter your age, you must regularly monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. This enables your physician to spot any abnormalities early on and start you on prompt treatment. It is also essential to understand that many lifestyle conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes can co-exist in an individual due to common risk factors. For more informative articles like this one, visit our blog on BP in control.

Note of caution: This article is for information purposes only. Always consult your doctor before altering any diet plans, medications, or in case of any other blood pressure-related troubles.