Hypertension Triples Women's Diabetes Risk

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Conen and his colleagues suggested that a possible mechanism for the link between blood pressure and diabetes may be endothelial dysfunction -- the disruption of normal biochemical processes carried out by the cells that line the inner surfaces of blood vessels.

"It may be a precursor of both hypertension and diabetes," Conen said. "Thus, the progression of endothelial dysfunction may cause worsening of both BP and blood glucose. This is line with the fact that both BP and blood glucose occur together as part of the metabolic syndrome," a combination of health problems that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

More information

The U.S. National Diabetes Education Program explains how to prevent diabetes.