Achieving recommended goals for blood-glucose and blood-pressure control in diabetic patients: a multi-center cross-sectional evaluation in the Niigata prefecture
Suzuki, K.; Sato, T.; Kobayashi, C.; Aizawa, Y.
Irish Medical Journal 96(6): 174-176
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0332-3102 PMID: 12926758 Document Number: 563708
Hypertension in patients with diabetes mellitus can contribute to a deterioration of the patient's status as much as most diabetes mellitus-related complications. Previous interventional trials have found that to prevent the onset and progression of diabetic microangiopathy, the optimal glycemic threshold is an HbA1c of less than 6.5% and the optimal blood pressure is less than 130/85 mmHg. The present study investigated the prevalence of achieving these recommended goals for glycemic and blood pressure control in type 2 diabetic patients in the Niigata prefecture. A questionnaire was administered in this multi-center study to 3573 patients from 92 participating Niigata Diabetic Complication Study hospitals. Patients aged 63.5 +/- 11 years with type 2 diabetes were evaluated. Only 46.8% of patients achieved the recommended glycemic control level, and only 41.4% of patients achieved the BP target. Moreover, only 20.5% of all patients achieved both target levels for blood glucose and blood pressure. This demonstrates the difficulty in clinical practice of achieving concurrent glucose and blood pressure control in diabetic patients.