Objective: To assess the effect of insulin therapy on blood pressure in NIDDM patients with secondary failure.
Research design and methods: 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.
Results: 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.
Conclusions: This study has shown that insulin therapy is associated with significant elevation of both systolic and diastolic blood pressures.