Ever wondered if there is a link between diabetes and blood and whether diabetes can affect your blood pressure? This article has the answers to your questions.
Over one billion adults aged 30 to 79 have hypertension, and most live in low and middle-income countries. Similarly, diabetes mellitus affects roughly 422 million people worldwide and causes about 1.5 million deaths each year. These statistics show that diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) are both common health conditions found in populations across the globe.
Hypertension is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or higher. The first number is the systolic pressure, while the second is the diastolic pressure. Systolic is the pressure in the blood vessels as the heart contracts, and diastolic is the pressure in the vessels when the heart relaxes between beats.
This article explores the link between diabetes and hypertension and highlights how to manage and prevent hypertension if you have diabetes.
Diabetes can affect your blood pressure. Over time, uncontrolled high blood glucose can lead to the development of atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances inside and on the artery walls. This buildup is known as plaque, and it narrows the arteries. When the arteries become narrow, the heart has to work harder to circulate blood throughout the body, leading to high blood pressure.
Diabetes and hypertension often overlap. As a matter of fact, people with diabetes are twice more likely to have hypertension than those without.
According to a study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, the major cause of death in patients with diabetes is cardiovascular disease, and hypertension worsens it.
Unsurprisingly, diabetes and hypertension also share similar risk factors. Their risk factors include:
There is no single optimal blood pressure level for everyone. But individuals with diabetes should aim to keep their blood pressure around 135/85 mm Hg.
For those at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure that is closer to, but not above, 130/80 mm Hg is recommended.
Reducing your sugar intake can help lower your blood pressure. Sugars, especially those used in processed food, can contribute to hypertension.
High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a mixture of 55% fructose and 45% glucose and is commonly used as a sweetener in soft drinks. The fructose in HFCS raises blood uric acid levels, which inhibits the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide deficiency leads to the narrowing of blood vessels and hypertension.
The results of a study involving 810 adults in the United States show that consuming less sugar-sweetened beverages can reduce blood pressure.
The low-salt Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet may help lower blood pressure.
The goal of the DASH diet is to help you make dietary changes such as:
You can calculate your daily calorie requirements to know how many calories your body needs daily to maintain your weight. If you want to know how many calories each individual food on your plate contains, you can use a food calorie calculator tool.
Read about some healthy Nigerian meals that can help lower blood pressure.
High blood pressure usually doesn’t cause any symptoms. Regularly checking your blood pressure is the standard way to know if it’s high.
However, if your blood pressure gets as high as 180/120, it can cause symptoms. Symptoms of very high blood pressure may include:
Untreated hypertension can cause other health conditions like kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.
There are two ways to treat hypertension if you have diabetes — embracing positive lifestyle changes and using medications. Medications are used when lifestyle changes aren’t enough.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the following lifestyle changes can help lower high blood pressure:
If modifying your lifestyle doesn’t keep your blood pressure below 140/90, your doctor may prescribe any of these medications.
The following teas can have a positive effect on high blood pressure.
The results of a 2020 review of five studies suggest that regularly drinking green or black tea may be beneficial for managing hypertension.
Green and black teas are made using the leaves of the same plant — Camellia sinensis. The only difference between both teas is that leaves used to make black tea are exposed to air, which turns them dark brown-black through a process known as oxidation.
Research-based evidence also suggests that hibiscus tea, also called zobo can significantly lower blood pressure. Hibiscus tea is made by boiling the flower of the hibiscus plant or steeping it in cold water overnight. You can add ginger, cinnamon, and other spices for flavor.
As the name implies, olive leaf tea is made from the leaves of the olive tree. To prepare it, you steep the leaves in hot or warm water.
A 2017 clinical study involving 31 participants found that olive-leaf herbal tea can have a favorable impact on blood pressure.
Chamomile has a long history of medicinal uses. The plant possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hypertensive properties, to name a few.
You can make chamomile tea from the dried flowers of the plant.
If you have diabetes and you’re worried about developing hypertension, you can help prevent it by living healthy, which entails:
Managing diabetes and hypertension with a medical team can be difficult for some people, but not impossible.
You may have to self-monitor your blood glucose and blood pressure using home test kits and report the results to your healthcare team.
Consult your doctor before trying a herbal tea for hypertension, especially if you’re on any medication. This is because the tea may interact with your drug, i.e., heighten or reduce its effects.
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