Hypertension in diabetic patients : a descriptive study in a primary health care center

Abstract EN

The object of this study was to identify the characteristics, complications and treatment of essential hypertension in adult diabetic patients at Marqa Primary Health Care Centre, Eastern - Amman.

One hundred and sixty three hypertensive patients (28.

7%) from five hundred and sixty eight adult diabetic patients, were selected for the study.

The required data was obtained by using a questionnaire during the regular patient follow-up over a period of three months (1st June to 1st September 1996).

Hypertension was defined according the WHO guidelines for diabetic patients.

The study included 109 females and 54 males with a mean age of 58 ±2 years, mean duration of hypertension of 8 ±6 years, mean systolic blood pressure 149 +24 mm/ Hg, mean diastolic blood pressure 86.8 +9.7 mm/Hg and a mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of 31.2 kg/m2.

One hundred and four patients had isolated systolic blood pressure >140 mm/Hg and 92 had isolated diastolic blood pressure > 90 mm/Hg.

More than a quarter had a family history of hypertension and 20% were smokers.

Complications were nephropathy (30%), cardiac diseases / myocardial infarction (10.2%), angina (12%), and heart failure (16.6%) }, retinopathy (18.2%), stroke (12.3%) and peripheral vascular diseases (4.8%).

Preventive measures should be emphasized through public health education; weight control, a low salt diet, stopping smoking and regular screening and treatment for hypertension and diabetes.