Effect of Insulin Therapy on Blood Pressure in NIDDM Patients With Secondary Failure

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 P P 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.