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BLOOD PRESSURE FOR DIABETICS

Just to make life awkward, beetroot is full of sugar, though.
 
cugila said:
Many Diabetics suffer from High Blood Pressure - Hypertension. It is something that can be treated well but first of all you need to know that you actually have it.

It is not something that you will always feel or notice, the signs and symptoms can often be missed or confused with something else. The only way to find out if you have it is by testing your BP.

If you do have high BP a single test once in a while is not going to be much help so just having it tested at a Clinic every few months is not really a good way to know if it is under control.

The best way is to buy yourself a good quality Arm Cuff tester and test at home at various times of the day/night. Then you will know how your BP is throughout a day. It will vary due to many things, so don't expect it to remain the same all the time.

The charts that tell you what is a good BP to have are for people who have no other risk factors.

If you are a Diabetic the present recommendation is that your BP should be lower than 130/80 if possible to avoid further complications. What is 'normal' for a non-Diabetic is NOT 'normal' for a Diabetic. You need to understand that first thing.
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I agree that home monitoring can be really useful, especially for people with diabetes, because high blood pressure often doesn’t cause obvious symptoms.

The main thing is to measure it properly — sit quietly for a few minutes, use a correctly sized upper-arm cuff, and take a couple of readings rather than relying on one number. I also wouldn’t check constantly throughout the day unless a doctor has asked you to, because normal fluctuations can cause unnecessary worry.

A target around 130/80 mmHg is commonly used for many people with diabetes when it can be reached safely, but the right goal can still depend on age, medications, kidney health, and other conditions.

Do you usually keep a written log of your readings to show your doctor, or do you just check them occasionally?
 
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