ABSTRACT
Hypertension is also commonly referred to as high blood pressure, and is common in patients with diabetes mellitus. Its prevalence is based on the type of diabetes that is present and the length of time that the disease has persisted. Other important factors include the age of the patient, gender, race and ethnicity, body mass index, history of glycemic control, and kidney disease. With diabetes, hypertension is a significant risk factor for many different types of cardiovascular disease. Hypertension is the leading cause of complications and deaths as well as extensive costs in diabetic patients. Though symptoms are often not obvious in many patients, they can include headache, dizziness, and blurred vision. Antihypertensive therapies can greatly reduce cardiac events, heart failure, and microvascular complications in patients with any type of diabetes mellitus. Medications include ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, diuretics, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists. It is also important to reduce sodium intake, practice stress-relieving activities, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, avoid excessive alcohol use, stop smoking, avoid secondhand smoke, and monitor blood pressure. Most patients need a lifelong treatment plan that must be closely followed.
