Abstract
Background: Blood pressures are increased in type 2 diabetics presenting an enhanced risk of myocardial infarction and subsequent death. It is controversial whether males have a greater risk of myocardial infarction and resultant death in type 2 diabetes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to review the literature regarding gender in blood pressure and to test the hypothesis that there would be gender inequality in blood pressure in well-controlled Caucasian type 2 diabetics in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia resulting in at least one gender exceeding the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) guidelines for systolic and/or diastolic pressures. Methods: Blood pressure were done by sphygmomanometry and using a stethoscope. Results: This study revealed statistically identical blood pressures in males and females which were above the CDA guidelines for systolic and diastolic pressures. Conclusion: It is concluded that neither males nor females as a population in this study are meeting the CDA guidelines for systolic or diastolic pressures and as such may well be at greater risk of myocardial infarction than if they were meeting these CDA guidelines. Ultimately it will have to be determined what approaches are suitable in bringing blood pressures to clinical target endpoints and what role gender may play in these approaches to management of hypertension in type 2 diabetics. However, this was only a very small study and a much larger one would answer whether there is gender inequality in blood pressure among persons with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.