“This systematic review and meta-analyses confirms that blood pressure lowering treatment is associated with reduced mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in people with diabetes mellitus, if systolic blood pressure before treatment is more than 140 mm Hg,” the authors wrote. “If SBP is less than 140 mm Hg, however, we found no benefit, but potential harm, with an increased risk of cardiovascular death.”
The authors concluded that the most likely biological explanation for the findings is the impairment of organ blood flow that can stem from intensive treatment. They suggest that blood pressure treatment goals should be less aggressive for patients with diabetes.
More articles on quality:
Researchers mine EHR data to identify patients with undiagnosed diabetes
A look at healthcare in Freddie Gray’s Baltimore: 5 major takeaways
5 animals capable of detecting infections and diseases in humans
