By Colin Kenny, GP, Dromore
Although people with diabetes have been included in many trials of blood pressure-lowering treatment, for most of these a diabetes “cut” has not been published separately. Here, investigators performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, guided by Cochrane Collaboration recommendations. Forty-nine trials, corresponding to 73,738 participants in all, fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis.
In people with diabetes and a systolic blood pressure of more than 140 mmHg, antihypertensive treatment is associated with a reduced risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease. If systolic blood pressure is less than 140 mmHg, however, further treatment is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death, with no observed benefit.
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