ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Diabetic nephropathy and hypertension are closely linked; they are found together in about 40-50% of the diabetic population on cross-sectional surveys, the prevalence depending on the definition of hypertension.1 This prevalence increases, however, both with age and with the duration of diabetes. After 10 years of diabetes, elevated blood-pressure levels will be present in 60% of the patients.2 This rate will increase to 80% after 20 years. Eventually, therefore, if they live long enough, most, if not all, diabetic patients will become hypertensive.
