About 11 million Americans have both diabetes and hypertension. This combination puts them at greater risk for heart and kidney damage than either condition alone. In fact the latest evidence shows that high blood pressure contributes to as much as three-quarters of all diabetes complications.

Experts recently suggested that aggressive management of high BP is more important in reducing cardiovascular events and slowing the progression of kidney disease than intensive control of blood glucose levels. This recommendation came in a recent comprehensive review of blood pressure goals in patients with diabetes published in the AMA journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

Studies have shown that reducing the diastolic BP (the lower number) to 85 mm Hg or less has a greater impact on reducing cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke than maintaining HbA1c at 7% or lower. Studies have also shown that people with diabetes can reduce their risk of kidney disease if they reduce their blood pressure to 125/75, which is lower than what is generally recommended.

Related information: All about hypertension | Diabetes and Hypertension

Sources:  Bakris, GL. A practical approach to achieving recommended blood pressure goals in diabetic patients. Archives of Internal Medicine, Dec. 10/24, 2001;161:2661-2667.