당뇨가 있는 고혈압 환자에서 목표 혈압을 얼마까지 할 것인가?

Abstract

Hypertension is an independent risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Diabetes multiplies the risk when combined. Therefore, it is crucial for the doctors to control the blood pressure (BP) properly in hypertensive patients with diabetes. And then, how much do we lower the BP? Several guidelines recommend target BP levels to minimize the risk under the basis of so many experimental and observational studies. But, we must consider several factors to properly apply the guidelines in the clinical fields. First, diabetes is not a uniform but a diverse disease. From asymptomatic microvascular disease to macrovascular cardiovascular disease, diabetic clinical findings are so different. So we must define where the patients stand in long diabetic road, and what the patients want to us. Second, because more people are becoming health-conscious, more people take the aspirin, lipid-lowering agents and other medications. It's means that interpretation of the results of recent studies is more difficult than previous, old studies. Third, measuring the BP in the hospital is really reflect the ambulatory BP? Now, it's too early to conclude that the one is more better than the other. From the next study, we can consider the use of ambulatory, home BP monitoring combined with hospital BP measuring. Finally, although BP lowering-effects are similar, all anti-hypertensives do not have same effect in diabetic patients. For example, angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibitor is more superior than calcium channel blocker in patients with heart failure. So, we must consider what type of drug used in the study.