INCREASED SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS-SYSTEM ACTIVITY IN CHINESE HYPERTENSIVEPATIENTS WITH TYPE-II DIABETES-MELLITUS

To evaluate the coexistence of sympathetic overactivity and hypertensi on in type 2 diabetic patients, a population-based study was conducted of newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients recruited from a single c ommunity located at northern Taiwan. This study included 2877 (male 13 82, female 1495) middle-aged ethnic Chinese adults, aged 45-65 years. Of the 1382 males, 67 had newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus, wh ereas 75 of the 1495 females had type 2 diabetes, The data showed that about 39% of diabetic patients had borderline hypertension (mean bloo d pressure 141/91 mmHg) whereas the average incidence in non-diabetic subjects was 15.5%. The borderline hypertensive diabetic patients had significantly higher heart rates (mean 78.8 vs. 69.3 beats/min; P < 0. 001) than control subjects. However, the cardiac index was similar in both control and diabetic subjects (mean 2.48 vs. 2.53 1/min/m(2); P > 0.05). Our data show that sympathetic overactivity and increased inci dence of hypertension actually existed in these type 2 diabetic patien ts of Chinese origin.