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About Diabetes and Hypertension
> F.A.Q. > How can I reduce my chance
of getting diabetes?
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about Diabetes and Hypertension
(This website is provided for informational purposes
only and should not be considered as recommending specific treatments
or rendering medical advice. You should not rely on any information
in this website to replace evaluations with qualified health care
professionals to address your specific medical condition. Contact
your health care provider for specific information concerning
your disease and its treatment. Some of the information contained
below is excerpted from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Diabetes Information web site, for up-to-date information visit
their site at http://www.fda.gov/diabetes/).
What is diabetes?
How do I know if I have diabetes?
What factors increase my risk of getting
diabetes?
How will my doctor test me for diabetes?
How can I reduce my chance of getting
diabetes?
I have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes,
why do I also need to be concerned about high blood pressure?
I get my blood pressure taken at my doctor's
office; why should I also take my blood pressure at home?
What disease conditions can result from
diabetes and hypertension?
I have heard that high blood pressure and diabetes can lead to kidney disease, is this true?
I am excited about the DUO-CARE combined blood glucose and blood pressure monitor; do I need a doctor’s prescription to purchase one?
Can I use glucose test strips supplied
by another manufacturer?
Where can I find more information about
diabetes and high blood pressure?
How can I reduce my chance of getting
diabetes?
A recent study funded by the Federal government of 3,234 persons
at high risk for diabetes showed that diet and exercise can sharply
lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was a major clinical study
of ways to prevent or delay diabetes in persons at high risk for
type 2 diabetes. Patients were overweight and had higher than
normal levels of blood glucose, called impaired glucose tolerance.
Both conditions are strong risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Because
of the high risk among some minority groups, about half of the
DPP participants were African American, American Indian, Asian
American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic.
The DPP compared two methods for preventing diabetes: (1) an
intensive program of healthy eating and exercise and (2) the use
of metformin, a diabetes drug. Persons who engaged in moderate
physical activity for about 30 minutes a day, followed a low-fat
and low-calorie diet, and lost 5 to 7 percent of their body weight
(or about 12 pounds for someone who weighs 200 pounds) cut their
risk of getting type 2 diabetes by about one half (58%). Those
persons receiving metformin reduced their risk by one third (31%).
back to questions
I have been diagnosed with Type II
diabetes, why do I also need to be concerned about high blood
pressure?
Many diabetics are aware of the need for routine blood glucose
measurements for effective control of their condition. However,
a majority of diabetics also have high blood pressure and many
are unaware of this condition and its impact on diabetic complications.
Data from numerous medical studies show the direct relationship
between elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular
disease accounts for up to 80% of the deaths in persons with type
2 diabetes (Haffner, S., et al., 1988, N. Eng. J. Med., 339:229-234).
Moreover, hypertension is twice as common in persons with diabetes
as it is in others (Epstein, M., et al., 1992, Hypertension, 19:403-418).
There are clear medical studies showing that careful control
of blood pressure to levels <140 mmHg (systolic) markedly reduces
cardiovascular disease and mortality and the development of end-stage
renal disease in persons with type 2 diabetes. In one major study,
elderly persons with type 2 diabetes received more benefit from
blood pressure lowering in reduction of cardiovascular disease
than did persons without diabetes. (Sowers, J., et al., 2001,
Hypertension, 37:1053-1059).
back to questions
I get my blood pressure taken at my
doctor's office; why should I also take my blood pressure
at home?
Blood pressure measurements at your doctor's office are
vitally important for the diagnosis and management of hypertension
and other disease states - home blood pressure measurements
are not a substitute for doctor's visits. However, home
blood pressure measurements can provide valuable additional information
to your and your physician. Home blood pressure measurements are
safe, quick, and easy to perform using automated monitors, such
as the DUO-CARE monitor. Taking your blood pressure at home can
provide information on a daily basis to help monitor the effectiveness
of medications, give you information on daily blood pressure trends,
and understand more fully the connection of blood pressure to
daily activities. Importantly for the diabetic patient, regular
blood pressure measurements reinforces the significance of high
blood pressure in development of diabetes complications and the
importance of blood pressure control. Routine measurements can
be part of a healthy lifestyle that includes diet, exercise, and
improved disease awareness.
back to questions
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F.A.Q
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