If you have type 2 diabetes and are treated for high blood pressure, this is a study that should interest you. This study explored whether lowering systolic blood pressure to a lower target would benefit people with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Researchers included over 12,800 participants aged 50 or older from China, all of whom had diabetes and a higher risk of heart disease. They split the participants into two groups: one aiming for a systolic blood pressure below 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment) and the other aiming for a less strict goal of below 140 mm Hg (standard treatment). The participants were followed for up to five years to see which approach was better at preventing serious heart problems, like strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, or death from heart disease.
The results showed that the lower blood pressure control group had better outcomes. Fewer people in this group experienced major heart-related events compared to the standard treatment group. Specifically, about 1.65 out of 100 people per year in the intensive group had these issues, while 2.09 out of 100 people per year in the standard group did. This means the intensive approach reduced the risk of these events by about 21%. In other words, in the intensive treatment group, over the course of 5 years, there were approximately 2 less cardiac events per 100 people treated.
However, stricter control wasn’t without drawbacks. People in the intensive group were more likely to experience certain side effects, like symptoms of very low blood pressure (feeling faint or dizzy) and high potassium levels. Still, the overall rates of serious side effects were similar between the two groups.
In summary, this research suggests that aiming for a lower systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mm Hg can help people with type 2 diabetes avoid serious heart problems, but it comes with some risks. This information could help patients and doctors decide how aggressively to treat high blood pressure in diabetes.