About 25% of people with Type 2 diabetes have high blood pressure or hypertension. Now the question arises diabetes and hypertension are related? The answer is YES!
Both are related. Let us first understand what diabetes is? When blood sugar increases reason when the body cannot use the glucose properly, or there is a problem with insulin level in the blood called diabetes. Hypertension is directly or indirectly related to diabetes. It is observed, that most of the people who have diabetes are also suffering from hypertension, ultimately resulting in heart problems like stroke blood circulation etc.
Diabetes affects arteries that cause high blood pressure and if not treated on time can further make the patient suffer to other medical conditions like heart attack, kidney failure, blood vessel damage. The effects of diabetes can be reversed with the help of medications.
Now, what should be the normal blood pressure? Usually, it should be 120/80, and it varies from person to person. But for a person with diabetes, it should not exceed to 130/80. The first or top number is when your heart squeezes and fills the vessel with blood that pressure is systolic pressure. The second number is when your soul rest between the beat, fill itself with blood for the next contraction that pressure is diastolic pressure.
Symptoms of Blood Pressure
Generally, there is no symptom, but one should get regular check-up of blood pressure from the doctor and can keep the records for future references.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Diabetes has many symptoms like thirst, frequent urination fatigue, blurred vision, and increased hunger, even genetic at time.
How is diabetes related to blood pressure?
When you have diabetes, there is a 99% chance that you have blood pressure or hypertension because, as mentioned above, diabetes damages the arteries and affect the heart. In a study, it is found that 3 out of 1 person is suffering from both hypertension and diabetes both, which makes a deadly combination.
Three things increase blood pressure:
- Increases the amount of fluid in the body
- Change the way the body manages the insulin
- Decreases the blood vessel ability to stretch
They co-exist because they have similar risk factors like unhealthy diet, overweight or obesity, inactive lifestyle.
Lifestyle plays a very important role in both diabetes and blood pressure, many times we don’t understand but our work stress, bad eating habits, excessive tension, wakefulness, round the clock working hours, no exercise can also make one suffer.
Also Read: Does Hair Loss and Diabetes Have a Relation?
How to control blood pressure?
To avoid these sufferings, one needs to make some lifestyle changes like weight loss, more emphasis on good eating habits, avoid late night sleeping, etc. once the lifestyle is set, one can easily control blood pressure and can get rid of the effects of diabetes.
Other causes of blood pressure and diabetes include:
Weight loss: obesity is the biggest enemies for any diseases nearly 40% of Americans suffer from obesity, and it is the first stage of being diabetic and experiencing uncontrolled blood pressure, so it is very important to reduce weight and lead to a healthy lifestyle.
Alcohol and smoking: Alcohol and smoking increase blood pressure, which is not good for the heart. Doctor advise to quit smoking and reduce alcohol to one or glass in a week.
Healthy diet: A good eating habit keeps the body happy and healthier. To reduce the effects of diabetes and control blood pressure, a healthy diet and super food should be there in the lifestyle.
Medications for diabetes and blood pressure Once a patient is diagnosed with diabetes and blood pressure, they should quickly start medicinal treatment before it gets worse. Diabetes medications are for a lifetime. However, there are very few people who can recover from it or can reduce the medicine intake. But exceptions are always there with the determination and positive lifestyle one can fight the battle of diabetes and blood pressure and can win also.
