Diuretic Lowers Diabetics' Blood Pressure

Sometimes slower is better: Researchers found that, for people with diabetes and hypertension, a sustained-release (SR) formulation of the diuretic indapamide reduces blood pressure without affecting control of blood sugar levels. The researchers recently reported in the American Journal of Hypertension that, whereas diuretics often are used to treat hypertension, they may alter cholesterol levels and interfere with glucose metabolism?which could pose problems for diabetics. Indapamide was developed to minimize such side effects.

To test indapamide SR, the researchers randomly assigned 64 patients with type 2 diabetes and mild-to-moderate hypertension to daily treatment with indapamide or placebo. After 3 months, the blood pressure of the patients taking indapamide SR fell by an average of ~20%, both while the patients were standing and while they were reclining. The placebo group showed no changes.

Also, ambulatory monitoring showed that blood pressure remained low during the daytime in the indapamide group and that the drop was ~10 points (averaged over 24 hours). Furthermore, no changes were indicated in a variety of biochemical measurements, including fasting blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity.