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Target blood pressure for patients with type 2 diabetes is difficult to achieve in the setting of a busy diabetes clinic

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Abstract

Background Target blood pressure control in patients with type 2 diabetes should be 130/85mmHg or less; however, it is not clear how achievable this target is in clinical practice.

Aim To assess the adequacy of blood pressure control in patients with type 2 diabetes attending a busy outpatient clinic.

Methods One hundred and eight patients with type 2 diabetes were assessed for the presence of hypertension using a cut-off value of 130/85mmHg. Antihypertensive treatment and diabetic complications were evaluated.

Results Hypertension was present in 67% of patients, in whom 90% were receiving anti-hypertensive treatment.. Forty-nine per cent of the treated patients achieved target blood pressure. Of the undertreated patients, 55% were on one antihypertensive agent, 30% were on two agents and 15% were on three or more agents. The corresponding figures for the adequately treated patients were 28%, 31% and 41%, respectively (p=0.03).

Conclusion Adequate blood pressure control was underachieved in this patient group underlying the difficulty in treating blood pressure to target values in patients with type 2 diabetes in the setting of outpatient diabetes clinics. A more aggressive strategy, in particular the use of multiple antihypertensive agents should be adopted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    A Agha, D Dillon, M Corbett & S Sreenan

Authors
  1. A Agha
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  2. D Dillon
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  3. M Corbett
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  4. S Sreenan
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Correspondence to A Agha.

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Agha, A., Dillon, D., Corbett, M. et al. Target blood pressure for patients with type 2 diabetes is difficult to achieve in the setting of a busy diabetes clinic. Ir J Med Sci 172, 168–170 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02915282

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02915282

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