Hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes are among the most common chronic disease combinations, yet nearly a third of adults with high blood pressure haven't had a blood glucose test in the past three years, Minnesota data suggests.
Diabetes and prediabetes prevalence are increasing. Both conditions negatively affect cardiovascular health. Early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and prediabetes can benefit people with hypertension by preventing cardiovascular complications.
Researchers analyzed 2011 Minnesota Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to determine the number of adults with hypertension screened for diabetes according to US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations for blood glucose testing. Of Minnesota adults with self-reported hypertension , 19.6 percent had a diagnosis of diabetes and 10.7 percent had a diagnosis of prediabetes. Nearly 1 in 3 adults with hypertension without diabetes had not received a blood glucose test in the past 3 years. Factors associated with greater odds of not being screened or tested included being age 18 to 44 years; being nonobese; not having had a check-up in the past 2 years; having hypertension treated with medication; and completing less than a college degree.
Health care provider's failure to screen and the failure of people with high blood pressure to understand the importance of screening may mean missed opportunities for early detection, clinical management, and prevention of diabetes.
Article: Blood Glucose Screening Rates Among Minnesota Adults With Hypertension, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2011, Renée S.M. Kidney, PhD, MPH, Minnesota Department of Health,