The force that blood flow exerts on the walls of the arteries is called blood pressure. When this force is elevated, it results in high blood pressure, or hypertension. The American Diabetes Association reports that 2 out of 3 people with diabetes--a disease in which blood sugar level is abnormally high--have hypertension. High blood pressure increases the risk of diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, eye damage and kidney damage in diabetic patients. Treatment of diabetes includes high blood pressure medications.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
The American Heart Association explains that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors--a class of blood pressure medication--are the preferred drugs for treating diabetic patients with hypertension. This class of blood pressure medications lower blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels. In addition to lowering blood pressure, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors also protect the kidneys from more damage due to diabetes, reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and do not interfere with the amount of glucose in the blood. Lisinopril, enalapril, ramipril and moexipril are examples of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports that angiotensin receptor blockers are drugs that lower blood pressure and slow down the progression of kidney disease in diabetes. Angiotensin receptor blockers reduce blood pressure by dilating and relaxing the blood vessels. They are used as alternatives to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in diabetics with hypertension. Losartan, eprosartan, candesartan, valsartan and telmisartan are angiotensin receptor blockers.
Diuretics
Hypertension can happen when the body contains too much fluids. Diuretics are drugs that help lower blood pressure by ridding the body of excess fluids and sodium. The American Heart Association reports that diuretics may increase blood glucose levels in diabetics. Additionally, "Clinical Hypertension in Practice" by Gregory Y. H. Lip suggests that this effect may be minimized by giving diuretics in low doses. Indapamide is a diuretic medication.
Beta Blockers
Beta blockers are a class of blood pressure drugs that can be used to treat hypertension in diabetics. They lower blood pressure by decreasing heart rate and the amount of blood the heart pumps out to the body. Hypoglycemia--low blood sugar levels--is a condition that can affect diabetics. Some symptoms of hypoglycemia are trembling, anxiety and a fast heart rate. Beta blockers may inhibit symptoms of this condition in diabetics. Some beta blockers are nadolol and metoprolol.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Amlodipine and verapamil are examples of calcium channel blockers drugs that may be used to treat hypertension in diabetes. They treat high blood pressure by blocking movement of calcium--a nutrient needed for muscle contraction--into the heart and blood vessels.
References
- American Heart Association: High Blood Pressure Medications
- American Heart Association: Diabetes and High Blood Pressure
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Prevent Diabetes Problems: Keep Your Heart And Blood Vessels Healthy
- American Diabetes Association: High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
- "Clinical Hypertension in Practice"; Gregory Y. H. Lip; 2003
