Some Aspects of Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus

Several facets of hypertension in diabetes mellitus were studied in 662 employed diabetics and an equal number of matched controls, all of whom received periodic health examinations at work.

Abstract

Several facets of hypertension in diabetes mellitus were studied in 662 employed diabetics and an equal number of matched controls, all of whom received periodic health examinations at work. The prevalence of hypertension was 54% greater among the diabetics. Hypertension was also more common in the diabetics before the onset of the clinical stage of the disease. The increased prevalence of hypertension among the diabetics occurred independently of overweight. Diabetics taking 50 or more units of insulin per day had a lower prevalence of hypertension than the other diabetics. Among hypertensive subjects, the prevalence of arteriosclerotic heart disease was twice as great in the diabetics as in the controls, but among normotensive subjects there was no significant difference between the two groups.