Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Hypertension is common in elderly diabetic patients, and is responsible for an increased cardiovascular risk and an acceleration of the degenerative effects of diabetes.

Objectives: To determine the characteristics of hypertension in elderly diabetic patients.

Patients and Methods: Descriptive study including 100 hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients aged >65 years followed up in department A of the national institute of nutrition in Tunis. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg. Variables studied were anthropometric measurements, cardiovascular factors (smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia), degenerative complications (retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, ischemic heart disease) and treatment administered (Insulin therapy, oral antidiabetics, antihypertensive).

Results: The mean age of our patients was 73±2.4 years, predominantly female (65.1% of cases). The mean duration of diabetes was 10.4 years, with 42% of patients on insulin therapy and 28% on oral antidiabetics. The diagnosis of diabetes preceded that of hypertension in 58.7% of cases. Sixty-three percent of patients had Grade I hypertension. Mean BMI was 27.8±4.6 kg/m². Dyslipidemia was found in 85.7% of our patients. Ischemic heart disease was found in 32.5% of cases, and 19% of patients had a history of ischemic stroke. Retinopathy was found in 61.4% of patients, neuropathy in 23.8%.

Discussion: The frequency and severity of hypertension in elderly diabetics are unique, requiring comprehensive management of cardiovascular risk factors in order to improve quality of life in this population.