Prevalence of hypertension in Type-2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the most prevalent cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Hypertension (HTN) has been confirmed as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is frequently associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). Therefore, the detection and management of elevated blood pressure (BP) is a critical component of the comprehensive clinical management of diabetics. Since the rates of hypertension in diabetics are lacking in Afghanistan, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of elevated blood pressure in type-2 diabetic patients. Materials and methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, which included 321 type −2 diabetic patients (119 males, 202 females) with a mean age of 53.86 ± 11.54 years who were presented to the Noble OPD center from November 2019 to January 2020. Results: The elevated blood pressure was detected in 70.5% of the patients. It was more prevalent in women than men (76.8% and 59.7% respectively). The mean systolic blood pressure was 146.94 ± 23.19 mmHg and mean diastolic blood pressure was 89.61 ± 11.59 mmHg. The mean pulse pressure was 57.32 ± 15.58 mmHg and the mean arterial pressure was 48.98 ± 7.73 mmHg. The mean body weight was 73.09 ± 13.75 Kg. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus was 7.08 ± 5.95 years with the average HbA1c of 9.27 ± 2.41%. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the patients was noted 28.77 ± 5.58 kg/m2. Conclusion: This study showed high prevalence of hypertension in type-2 diabetes patients with a significant difference in the rate of elevated blood pressure between males and females (it was higher in females than males). The systolic blood pressure had a positive correlation with age. However, it was insignificant for diastolic blood pressure. Healthcare providers and other health sector should work in collaboration for designing appropriate preventive strategies targeting the modifiable risk factors associated with hypertension. HIGHLIGHTS The hypertension is more prevalent in type- 2 diabetes mellitus. Females diabetics are more likely to have hypertension than males patients. The control of hypertension among diabetics may be a critical component of the comprehensive clinical management.