Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
02 October 2015 08:08
Research shows high blood pressure ups the risk of diabetes
The risk of developing diabetes is much greater among people with high blood pressure, a new study has found.
Researchers at Oxford University studied data from more than four million people, finding that those with raised blood pressure are nearly 60% likelier to develop the disease than those with normal levels.
And they are now calling for more research to be carried out to assess whether blood pressure-lowering medications could be used as a tool to prevent cases of Type 2 diabetes.
Around the world, diabetes affects over 400 million people, with diabetics - who can cover themselves while on holiday with a diabetes travel insurance policy - having a raised risk of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.
At the beginning of the research, everyone whose data was studied was free of both diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
But those who had high blood pressure had a close to 60% greater risk of getting diabetes than those who did not.
The link was found in both men and women, among people of different ages and in those whose weight was normal, as well as those who were overweight or obese.
Professor Kazem Rahimi, deputy director of Oxford University's George Institute for Global Health UK, says the study's findings could be a "game changer" when it comes to treating and understanding diabetes.
The expert says that with the research showing that people with high blood pressure have a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes, it should provide patients and doctors with an even greater motivation for bringing it under control.
Professor Rahimi says although the link has now been established, it is still not known whether high blood pressure actually causes diabetes or is just a risk factor.
But he says the study has paved the way for researchers to look at whether the risk of developing diabetes could be cut by lowering patients' blood pressure.
The team's study has been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
22 September 2017
A new computer code that can be applied to GP surgery data could be the answer to identifying those most at risk of developing bowel cancer.
[more...]
21 September 2017
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning over a growing resistance to antibiotics.
20 September 2017
Thousands of Ryanair flights have been cancelled over the next six weeks, as the airline says it "messed up" allocation of its pilots' annual leave.
19 September 2017
Manchester's Girlguides are being urged to help the elderly with a new badge incentivising youngsters to tackle senior loneliness.
16 September 2017
Holidaymakers are being evacuated as winds up to 200km per hour hit Central Vietnam, with Typhoon Doksuri damaging houses, roads and infrastructure.
15 September 2017
People in parts of East Anglia are eight times more likely to survive liver disease than Blackpool residents, according to new data by Public Health England (PHE).
14 September 2017
A non-invasive alternative to gastric bypass surgery that helps people with Type 2 diabetes lose weight is being recommended for widespread use by NHS experts.
13 September 2017
Almost half of UK adults travelling to areas at risk of malaria are not covering themselves by taking medication, despite recommendations made by the NHS and world health organisations.
12 September 2017
A new health warning has been issued by scientists in Sweden, suggesting e-cigarettes with nicotine could lead to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
09 September 2017
Researchers have developed a futuristic pen-like device that can tell whether someone has cancer much faster than current technology.
08 September 2017
A staffing crisis in the NHS is seeing cancer patients turned away from their GP surgery and instead visiting A&E, a report has claimed.
07 September 2017
Whether it's binge-watching box-sets, shopping for clothes, chatting to friends or picking up work emails, staying connected is pretty much essential to everyday life.