Blood Pressure Drugs Improve Survival for Diabetics

The use of blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors, such as Accupril and Zestril, improves survival in diabetics without heart disease, Canadian researchers report in the medical journal Diabetes Care.

The use of blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors, such as Accupril and Zestril, improves survival in diabetics without heart disease, Canadian researchers report in the medical journal Diabetes Care.In fact, senior investigator Dr. Jeffery A. Johnson said that the study “provides support for what may be a common current medical practice.” Many physicians “are already initiating ACE inhibitors in ‘lower risk’ patients with type 2 diabetes as the perception is that these agents are beneficial.” Johnson and colleagues, from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, combed health databases in Saskatchewan to identify patients with type 2 diabetes, but without heart disease. Of the more than 9000 patients identified, 1187 were recent users of ACE inhibitors. Nearly 5000 patients who were not using these drugs served as a comparison group. The average age of the subjects was 61 years and they were followed for around 5 years. On average, patients in the ACE inhibitor group used these drugs for 3.6 years. During follow-up, 9 percent of ACE inhibitor users died, nearly half the percentage seen in non-users–17 percent. In particular, heart attack- and stroke-related deaths were less common in the ACE inhibitor group. Thus, Johnson concluded, “our study helps to provide evidence to support this practice and suggests that starting ACE inhibitors relatively early may provide substantial benefits.” (SOURCE: Diabetes Care: Reuters Health News: June 2004.)