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Historically diabetes has been faulted for causing high blood pressure. Now the opposite may be true as a new study shows “people with elevated blood pressure are almost 60% more likely to develop Type II diabetes,” says The Guardian.
Study Provides strongest link between elevated blood pressure and diabetes
In a new study scientists at Oxford University examined at over 4.1 million people aged between 30 and 90 years who were free of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The study was aimed to establish whether there is a connection between high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. The study revealed that those who had high blood pressure were 60% more likely to develop diabetes than those with normal blood pressure.
With over 400 million people battling with diabetes around the world, this study provides the strongest link between high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. “While the results of the study reveal crucial insights into the understanding and treatment of diabetes, the questions remains as to whether blood pressure medications can prevent developing Type II diabetes,” said Prof Kazem Rahimi, deputy director of the George Institute for Global Health UK at Oxford.
At the start of the study all the participants had no evidence of diabetes or heart disease. As the study progressed it became apparent that individuals with elevated blood pressure were developing diabetes. The high blood pressure caused diabetes in both men and women and in people of varying ages, as well as those who were of normal weight, overweight, and obese. “The study is yet to determine whether high blood pressure is a cause of diabetes or is it just a risk factor,” said Prof Kazem Rahimi.
Conclusion
The study revealed that an increase of 20mmHg systolic blood pressure increased the risk of Type II diabetes by 58%. It also revealed that a higher diastolic blood pressure of 10mmHg was associated with a 52% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
The study was recently published in the journal of American College of Cardiology.