High blood pressure and high cholesterol can lead to serious complications in diabetics. Therefore, diabetic living includes regularly checking blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as monitoring blood glucose. With early diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, diabetes sufferers can maintain their health and prevent further complications.

Hypertension and Diabetes

Blood pressure of 120/80 is considered to be "normal" and healthy. The first number is the systolic pressure--the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats--and the second number is the diastolic pressure, the pressure in between beats. A blood pressure of 140/90 or higher signifies high blood pressure, or hypertension.

Diabetics are twice as likely to have high blood pressure than non-diabetics. Long-term, untreated high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke in non-diabetics, and diabetics are at an even higher risk of these complications. People with hypertension and diabetes may also experience:

• Enlarged hearts
• Foot problems (sometimes requiring amputation)
• Kidney problems
• Nerve damage
• Vision problems (sometimes leading to blindness).

Doctors recommend that diabetics take healthy diabetic living measures to manage their blood pressure, including:

• Not smoking
• Eating a healthy diet
• Exercising
• Limiting alcohol intake
• Limiting salt intake
• Maintaining a healthy weight.

People with hypertension and diabetes who don't experience improvements with healthy diabetic living may receive medication to keep blood pressure at healthy levels.

Diabetes and Cholesterol

High cholesterol is another condition that may contribute to serious diabetic complications. Cholesterol is a soft, yellow substance that the body uses to help form cells in the skin, muscles, heart and other organs, as well as to serve as a precursor for other biochemicals. Although the body needs cholesterol, excessive levels of cholesterol in the blood can put patients at a high risk of various ailments, including:

• Arrhythmia
• Atherosclerosis (the constriction, clogging and hardening of arteries, obstructing the flow of blood to the heart)
• Coronary heart disease
• Enlarged heart
• Heart attack
• Heart disease
• Stroke.

There is a negative link between diabetes and cholesterol: The condition tends to lower "good" cholesterol and raise "bad" cholesterol. In fact, like hypertension, people with diabetes and cholesterol issues have double the risk of health complications for diabetics.

Because of this, while managing cholesterol levels is important for any adult, it's especially important for diabetics. The best way to control cholesterol is through a healthy diet and regular exercise. If diet and exercise aren't enough to lower cholesterol levels, doctors may prescribe medications to lower these levels.

Resources

American Heart Association. (2010). Diabetes and cholesterol. Retrieved May 27, 2010, from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3044764.

Diabetes Monitor. (2004). What is high blood pressure? Retrieved May 27, 2010, from http://www.diabetesmonitor.com/b31.htm.