Effect of insulin therapy on blood pressure in NIDDM patients with secondary failure.

Abstract

To assess the effect of insulin therapy on blood pressure in NIDDM patients with secondary failure. The influence of insulin treatment on blood pressure was assessed retrospectively in a group of 80 NIDDM patients with secondary failure to diet and maximum doses of oral hypoglycemic agents. Weight, blood glucose, and blood pressure were recorded over a 3-mo period before and after the initiation of insulin therapy. There was a significant rise in systolic (131.8 +/- 1.7 to 148 +/- 1.9 mmHg, P less than 0.05) and diastolic (80.9 +/- 0.9 to 89.2 +/- 1.0 mmHg, P less than 0.02) blood pressures with insulin treatment. Insulin treatment was associated with a significant decrease in blood glucose (18.36 +/- 0.28 to 10.4 +/- 0.34 mM, P less than 0.01) and an increase in weight (72.1 +/- 1.6 to 78 +/- 1.7 kg, P = 0.01). A control group of 80 NIDDM patients matched for age, weight, BMI, and duration of diabetes demonstrated no significant change in blood pressure over a matched period of follow-up. This study has shown that insulin therapy is associated with significant elevation of both systolic and diastolic blood pressures.