Diabetes mellitus and hypertensive diseases are the fourth and fifth leading causes of death, respectively, as of June 2022. Aside from being serious health conditions individually, hypertension—or high blood pressure—is also often linked to type 2 diabetes. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, high blood pressure is twice more likely to strike a person with diabetes than a person without diabetes. Although there is no known explanation behind their connection, several factors such as obesity, a high-sodium diet, and inactivity contribute to both conditions. Learn more about these two conditions, and find out how you can help patients manage them.
Diabetes
There are three types of diabetes differentiated by how the body produces insulin and can be managed by a healthy lifestyle and continuous medical therapy. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, means the pancreas produces very little to no insulin. In type 2 diabetes—which is the most common type—the pancreas produces insulin but the body is unable to process it properly. Gestational diabetes, on the other hand, is a condition that may develop during pregnancy among women who did not previously have diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious illness and can lead to severe health conditions like heart problems, stroke, kidney complications, and even blindness. A person with diabetes is likely to also have high blood pressure and may be prescribed medicines that are intended for hypertensive patients.
Hypertension
High blood pressure is known as a “silent killer” because it does not manifest any symptoms. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that a patient may be diagnosed with hypertension if their blood pressure (BP) is taken on two different days and the systolic blood pressure readings on both days is ≥140 mmHg and/or the diastolic blood pressure readings on both days is ≥90 mmHg.
Aside from the mentioned risk factors above, suffering from other comorbidities like diabetes and kidney disease also increases a patient’s chances of having high blood pressure, so it is important to take their BP regularly to monitor their health.
What can pharmacists do?
Pharmacists can take up an active role in helping not only patients with diabetes and hypertension but also those who do not have the conditions yet but are at high risk for them.
Health education – Pharmacists can advise patients in terms of lifestyle changes that can help decrease risk against diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Such lifestyle modifications may include promotion of a healthy diet, stress management, practice of adequate physical activity, and prevention of smoking. For patients with diabetes, part of health education is counseling them about monitoring and management of glucose levels. Likewise, pharmacists are also qualified to become diabetes educators by taking specialized training programs about diabetes management. Continuously finding ways to grow in the profession by attending relevant webinars and exploring other learning opportunities are also effective ways for pharmacists to support their stakeholders.
Detection – To help in early detection of cardiovascular risks, pharmacists may also measure blood pressure of patients and refer them to a general practitioner should they show signs of being at risk for hypertension.
Monitoring of patient adherence to medication – Pharmacists can help ensure that patients are adhering to the prescribed medication by keeping them informed about their conditions, how their medications work to improve their health, and how important medication compliance is in the success of a treatment. Some studies have shown that patients who observed proper medication were more likely to control blood pressure levels than those who were not.
Additionally, pharmacists can encourage medication adherence by educating patients on the possible drug interactions and side effects of the medications they may be taking. Patients with diabetes, for instance, often take several medications, which may result in unwanted drug interactions. By helping patients understand the importance of adherence, pharmacists are able to help patients stay on track when it comes to their treatment, recovery, and overall health goals.
Sources:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/107638/E85730.pdf;jsessionid=67802EA0A95B93309497D0C872C6F1CC?sequence=1
https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/hypertension
https://idf.org/our-network/regions-members/western-pacific/members/116-the-philippines.html
https://psa.gov.ph/content/2022-causes-deaths-philippines-preliminary-30-june-2022
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/diabetes-and-high-blood-pressure
https://www.pchrd.dost.gov.ph/index.php/news/2806-prevalence-of-hypertension-among-filipinos-increasing-psh
https://www.pchrd.dost.gov.ph/index.php/news/2806-prevalence-of-hypertension-among-filipinos-increasing-psh
https://idf.org/our-network/regions-members/western-pacific/members/116-the-philippines.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension
https://www.aafp.org/afp/1998/0301/p1019.html
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/professional-info/health-care-pro/diabetes-pharmacy-health.html
