Posted on 07/11/2010 5:16:43 PM PDT by neverdem
The best blood pressure range for patients with diabetes and heart disease appears to be slightly higher than what is recommended for healthy adults, according to a study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.
In fact, the blood pressure range considered normal - less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic - may actually be risky for those with a combined diagnosis of diabetes and coronary artery disease, report University of Florida researchers from the International Verapamil SR-Trandolapril study, known as INVEST.
Optimum systolic blood pressure levels should be between 130 and 140 for patients coping with the diabetes-heart disease combination, according to Rhonda Cooper-DeHoff, Pharm.D., an associate professor of pharmacy and medicine at UF.
Efforts to reduce systolic blood pressure to below 130 did not offer any additional benefit to patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease, compared with reduction of systolic blood pressure to between 130 and less than 140.
"Sustained blood pressure lower than 120 is considered optimal for healthy people," Cooper-DeHoff said. "But, our data show that for these patients with diabetes, the range may actually cause an increased risk for heart attack, stroke and death."
As many as two out of three adults with diabetes have high blood pressure. Blood pressure greater than 140 is still associated with a nearly 50 percent increase in cardiovascular risk in these patients.
"While lowering blood pressure to less than 140 is very important, based on our data and data recently published by others, it is now clear that in patients with diabetes, it is not necessary, and may be harmful to lower blood pressure too much," Cooper-DeHoff said.
In addition, the study for the first time reveals that this group of patients had an increased risk for death when their blood pressure was controlled to lower than 115 systolic - the range recommended as normal by the American Heart Association.
The findings in the Journal of American Medical Association formalize a report Cooper-DeHoff made at the American College of Cardiology's 59th annual scientific session earlier this spring.
Heart disease or stroke is the top cause of death for people with diabetes, affecting more than 60 percent of patients, according to the AHA. High blood pressure, common in diabetes, doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The INVEST study is the first to evaluate the effects of blood pressure-lowering in diabetic patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease. Researchers analyzed data collected from 6,400 patients from fall 1997 to spring 2003. The patients, who were 50 or older, were recruited from more than 850 sites in 14 countries.
The researchers further consulted the national death index for U.S.-enrolled patients for an additional five years to compare death rates of patients based on their blood pressure category ranging from tightly controlled to non-controlled hypertension.
Abbott Laboratories provided funding for INVEST. Cooper-DeHoff also received support from a National Institutes of Health career development award.
Source: University of Florida Health Science Center
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Sorry, but the science of health care seems to change with the winds (north is better, south is worse). I really do not trust a thing that comes out of this conglomeration of social science. Actually, the best thing is to stay away from hospitals (worse place for catching an infection) and only taking any medication if your life is in danger.
Of course, this would also have the benefit of lowering health care costs considerably...(so, no that won’t happen)!
"A man cannot see what his paycheck won't allow!"
Sometimes I feel as if I’m living in the Middle Ages.
Take your stats and shove'm.
Millions of people have died who have "perfect" numbers.
ping
bflr
Somehow, keeping my blood pressure above 120/80 would likely meet the same response. The logic seems to be "if x is what the CDC says is right, then x -10% is even better so that's where we want you."
I'll only say I've had far fewer headaches keeping my BP below 120/80 than before then. And regular exercise, even walking, is the best medicine of all.
We're all different (I prefer swimming to walking), the drug pushers can't stand that, they even fudge the results of testing if it helps them sell drugs, "evil, pure and simple from the 8th demension"(quote from Buckeroo Bonzai")
ps. Also see How Weed won the West for true medical diversity.
122 is relatively low compared to many people. That is not really a cause for alarm. You though are alarmed by numbers that you have been taught by the medical profession. Just another example of the Health System getting people alarmed for little or nothing...
<Take your stats and shove’m.
<Millions of people have died who have “perfect” numbers.
Amen, sister. My BP is pretty good, but as a diabetic, over time they tried out 3 different BP lowering meds ‘just in case.’ I wound up in ER twice due to low BP; I thought I was having a heart attack.
Even after a 24 hour cuff showed that I didn’t have high BP, the endo swore meds were the best thing for me as a diabetic. After the ER experiences, I’ve told them to shove their meds. If I had high BP, that would be one thing, but this prophylactic medicating is garbage and probably dangerous. I frequently take my BP at home; if things got bad, I’d report it to the doc, but if not, to heck with ‘em.
Where are the leeches?
Stuck to the cautery irons.
When I was young normal was 140/80. Now they have it below 120, which I think is a collusion to sell Statins.
Statins primarily affect cholesterol, not blood pressure. But, there are plenty of blood pressure medications to sell!
It's the gray hair and the damn wrinkles that get me. :-)
The difference is due, in part, to minor blood pressure changes that are normal on a moment to moment basis and also to the fact that you have warmed up the plastic wrapper!
Your first reading is a combined reading for your blood pressure AND the resistance of the blood pressure device's covering.
Close your eyes, begin humming "Ummmmmmmmmm" very quietly to yourself ~ imagine your body levitating above the examination table, think quiet thoughts ~ imagine your heart beat slowing ~ GOOD FOR 10 POINTS EVERY SINGLE TIME!
Heh...now you are talking sense... Well, if that’s true, your not really living are you? Just kidding of course, but it does seem that way too many who seem to think that keeping within the numbers is the key a long and prosperous life. Unfortunately, crap happens and it catches us all at some point... As to the wrinkles and gray hair (geez, I wish I had hair that was gray)..Oh well...(Not going to even talk about the wrinkles)...
.."I'm just glad we don't have to walk uphill in the snow both way to school anymore."
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