Blood pressure pills, beware of diabetes risk

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 17 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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If you have high blood pressure and combine thiazide diuretics and a beta blocker you will increase your risk of developing diabetes by 20%, say scientists.

According to new research, this combination of blood pressure pills increases your chances of becoming diabetic.

The scientists advise patients to avoid taking these two drugs (together) unless it is absolutely necessary.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) of the UK has added this adivce to its latest draft on guidance on treating hypertension.

NICE will advise doctors that their patients who have had bad reactions to other drugs should carry on with the combination. In those cases the benefits still outweigh the risks.

NICE's advice comes after it pooled data from seven trials covering more than 70,000 patients. This is the largest study ever made (on this matter)

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