Researchers, however, say the high blood pressure treatment is still important for diabetic patients.
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“At the same time, it is important to remember that blood pressure lowering treatment is crucial for the majority of people with diabetes whose blood pressure measures above 140,” Mattias Brunström, a doctoral student at the Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine at Umeå University, said in a press release.
The study was based on patients with type-2 diabetes and previous antihypertensive treatment. Researchers don’t have a conclusion on patients with type-1 diabetes or patients with diabetes and normal blood pressure levels.
The researchers hope their study will influence international treatment guidelines.
“In practice, it is important to remember that undertreatment of high blood pressure is a bigger problem than overtreatment,” Brunström says. “Many treatment guidelines, both Swedish and international, will be redrawn in the next few years. It has been discussed to recommend even lower blood pressure levels for people with diabetes – maybe as low as 130.”