What's The Connection Between Diabetes And High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)?

Type 2 diabetes patients have a much higher risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure) than the general population. Many people have a hard time understanding high blood pressure, because they can’t physically see or feel any symptoms. The easiest way to understand high blood pressure is to envision your blood pumping through your heart and blood vessels with a force that is way too high. Why is this detrimental? Because high blood pressure tires the heart out and can cause it to become enlarged.

What is high blood pressure and what is normal?

A blood pressure reading of 120/80 mmHg or lower is considered to be normal, while a blood pressure of 140/90 or over is high. What exactly do these numbers mean?

• The first number is a measure of systolic pressure. This one indicates the pressure with which your blood is pushed out of your heart.
• The second number is the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure maintained by your arteries when your vessels are relaxed, in between heartbeats.

How often should I get my blood pressure levels checked?

Healthy people over the age of 20 should ideally get their blood pressure checked every two years, with increasing frequency as they get older. Patients with diabetes, however, should be more vigilant and get their blood pressure checked much more frequently. Therefore, doctors recommend that diabetics get their blood pressure checked at least four times a year.

So, what is the relationship between diabetes and high blood pressure?

While it is not fully known why patients with either disease are more likely to develop the other, researchers believe that several factors contribute to this relationship between hypertension and diabetes — including physiological conditions and lifestyle factors. Physiologically, there are numerous reasons why diabetics are more likely to develop high blood pressure:

• High fluid volume. Patients with diabetes carry more fluid in their body, which raises blood pressure.
• Increased damaged to the blood vessels. High blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels, which causes blood vessels to lose their ability to stretch, leading to an increase in blood pressure.
• Alterations in insulin levels. Patients living with diabetes experience changes in insulin levels, which can directly cause an increase in blood pressure.

While physiological reasons can partially explain why these two diseases are intricately connected, lifestyle factors represent another major reason why patients develop both diseases:

• Obesity. Obese people are more likely to develop both diabetes and high blood pressure, and is sometimes the single underlying cause.
• Diet. People who routinely eat foods that are rich in fat and salt are more likely to develop both diabetes and high blood pressure.
• A sedentary lifestyle. People who are not physically active, and spend much of their time seated, are more likely to develop diabetes and high blood pressure.

Why should I care about high blood pressure?

High blood pressure is a serious health condition that you need to consistently watch out for, because it is a silent killer that can come out of nowhere and can become fatal. This is because high blood pressure has no obvious symptoms, and many people are completely aware they have it.

The combination of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes can be particularly deadly, as each of these conditions individually puts you at a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke. As you can imagine, when patients have both conditions, that increases their risk of heart disease even more. Other diseases you are at a higher risk for if you have diabetes and high blood pressure are kidney disease and retinopathy (an eye disease).

Furthermore, studies have linked chronic high blood pressure with several serious diseases related to aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Diabetics already have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as a result of damage to the blood vessels that supply the brain. This becomes further exacerbated by high blood pressure.

How can I prevent high blood pressure if I have diabetes?

The best things you can do to prevent your blood pressure from rising if you already have diabetes is to make lifestyle changes that are known to lower blood pressure levels. It is important to stress that some people do everything right, but still end up with hypertension. This is called essential hypertension.

Physical activity

People should get a minimum of:

• 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise
• 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise
• Or a combination of the two.

You can do any sort of activity that gets your heart rate up to maintain heart health and overall fitness. This includes walking, running, swimming, hiking, and biking. If you have never worked out before, then it’s important that you start off slowly and work your way up to more intense exercise. Not only is physical activity good for your blood pressure, it also benefits your diabetes as well as other complications that result from the diabetes/high blood pressure combo, such as cardiovascular disease.

Diet

A big part of managing high blood pressure is having a better diet. If you're not already doing these things, you should:

• Limit added sugar
• Avoid foods high in salt
• Avoid high-fat meats
• Avoid whole-fat dairy and switch to low-fat dairy
• Incorporate more vegetables and fruits in your meals
• Limit processed foods
• Eat lean meats and fish
• Avoid fried foods

Not smoking is another good step to take toward increased overall health, including healthy blood pressure. 

Regularly visiting your doctor is another essential part of staying healthy with a chronic condition like diabetes, so never skip appointments!