High blood pressure, or hypertension as it is called, has become a common medical condition given the hectic and stressful lifestyle. It has especially become more common among people with type 2 diabetes. It is a matter of consideration why both diabetes and hypertension occur together. However, studies have proven that diabetes management ultimately balances the blood pressure of an individual as well.
The following common causes lead to the onset of both diabetes and hypertension.
- Obesity
- A diet high in fat and sodium
- Chronic inflammation
- Inactivity or sedentary lifestyle
Are diabetes and high blood pressure related? Studies have projected startling numbers with respect to hypertension among people with diabetes, making it an essential diabetes management segment. About 25% of people with Type 1 diabetes and 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure, which also results from a lack of diabetes management.
Having high blood pressure and diabetes together increases your risk of developing health complications, thus requiring diabetes management.
Diabetes Management: Ideal Blood Pressure of a Diabetic
While the parameters vary from person to person, the ideal range for a person with diabetes is prescribed to be not above 130/80. The first reading (130) is the systolic pressure; the highest pressure applied as the blood pushes through the heart. The second reading (80) is the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure maintained by arteries when vessels are relaxed between heartbeats.
Risks Involved in High Blood Pressure with Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association has stated that a combination of high blood pressure and diabetes can prove to be lethal and lead to heart attack or stroke if not maintained within range. Both hypertension and type 2 diabetes can result in other diabetes-related complications like kidney disease and retinopathy.
Constantly high blood pressure along with fluctuating blood glucose levels can lead to problems related to the brain like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Certain factors also contribute towards increasing your risks of heart problems or stroke, apart from blood sugar levels. These include:
- family history of heart disease
- a high-fat, high-sodium diet
- sedentary lifestyle
- high cholesterol
- advanced age
- obesity
- current smoking habit
- too much alcohol
Prevent Onset of High Blood Pressure with Diabetes
Certain lifestyle changes like opting for a healthy exercise regime can drastically improve your blood pressure readings. A minimum of 30-40 minutes of exercise helps keep your heart healthy, and eating a healthy diet is another significant lifestyle change required to be made. This means eating less sugar, salt, high-fat meats, whole-fat dairy products, etc.
A Healthy Diet
Include the following in your daily diet:
- Several servings of veggies during the day.
- Low-fat dairy products.
- Avoid processed foods and even if you are consuming them, make sure they contain less than 140 milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving for a meal.
- Include brown and red rice along with whole-grain pasta and bread.
- Use a smaller plate to limit your food intake per serving.
Read More: Diabetes Management: 7 Common Diabetes Exercise Mistakes
Diabetes Management: Treat High Blood Pressure with Diabetes
Improve your type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure condition with lifestyle as well as medication for best results as per requirement.
High blood pressure medicines are included in the following categories:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium channel blockers
- Diuretics
It is best to carry out a sugar test to maintain normal sugar levels and consult and follow the advice of your diabetes educator or doctor. Moreover, be sure to check your blood sugar levels. Also, discuss these sugar reading patterns obtained from glucometer measurement in order to have a healthy life with hypertension and diabetes.
Manage your diabetes and blood pressure with the BeatO App.
