ASSOCIATIONS OF HYPERTENSION AND COMPLICATIONS IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Hypertension is a common comorbidity with non-insulin-dependent diabet es mellitus (NIDDM). Data are somewhat inconsistent as to whether hype rtension exacerbates diabetic complications in this population. Theref ore, we examined the relationship between hypertension and vascular co mplications of NIDDM in the 950 patients enrolled in the prospective a nd randomized Appropriate Blood Pressure Control in Diabetes (ABCD) st udy. We found both systolic and diastolic hypertension to be associate d with diabetic nephropathy (P < .001) as well as with its macrovascul ar complications (P < .05). Our present results also demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between hypertension and periphe ral vascular disease (P < .05), and left ventricular hypertrophy (P < .001). There was, however, no apparent relationship between hypertensi on and diabetic neuropathy. Thus, arterial pressure may be a major det erminant of complications in NIDDM. (C) 1997 American Journal of Hyper tension, Ltd.