Researchers at University of Michigan Medical School say that for people whose blood pressure do not lower during night may also have high blood sugar levels.
In a healthy normal person blood pressure tends to lower while sleeping at night. However, drinking till late night, or sleep disturbances may elevate the nighttime blood pressures.The new research points out to the fact such higher levels of blood pressure at night may be the predictor for other health problems like blood glucose levels. Heightened blood glucose levels may cause diabetes or insulin resistance that may lead to cardiovascular problems. In people with “non-dipping” blood pressure have an increasing chance of having a high fasting blood sugar than that of people whose blood pressure dips for about 10% of the diurnal level at night.
Researchers had found that of the 51 patients of hypertension studied in the age group of 60 to 80 years, 20 of them had blood pressure, which did not dip by 10% in the nights. Twin blood sugar tests of fasting and two-hour oral glucose tolerance had revealed an average score of 95 and 133 for the bigger group, and 105 and 144 for the patients of the smaller group.
Researchers suggest that the medical professionals should start monitoring the glucose in blood for patients whose blood pressure remains constant during the night, to prevent further health problems.
The research was presented at the annual meeting of American Geriatrics Society.
Reference: University of Michigan Medical School, News Release, May 2005
