Blood Pressure Drugs May Worsen Diabetes

Filed in archive News on January 19, 2007

Which is troubling news, as many diabetics often have high blood pressure. Do you have to choose which condition you'd rather live with? Maybe not, if you carefully monitor your health.

Some common blood pressure drugs can substantially increase the risk of diabetes, especially among those already at risk for the condition, U.S. researchers report.

According to the report, angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are the blood pressure drugs least associated with diabetes. These are followed by calcium-channel blockers.

Beta blockers and diuretics are the drugs most associated with the condition.

"There are differences across the various types of drugs that we use to treat high blood pressure in people who develop diabetes," said study author Dr. William Elliott, from the department of preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.