Diabetes is a chronic, complicated disease defined by hyperglycemia, affecting around 537 million adults worldwide.
The microvascular complications of diabetes are due to hyperglycemia, while the macrovascular complications involve the pathological process of atherosclerosis.
Hypertension is twice as common in individuals with diabetes, and more than half of individuals with diabetes eventually develop hypertension as well. Therefore, the presence of hypertension with diabetes increases the risk of development of complications of diabetes.
Systolic inter-arm difference (IAD) is defined as a systolic blood pressure difference of 10 mmHg or more between both arms, which is suggested to be due to atherosclerosis of the large vessels. A difference of less than 10 mmHg is common and is considered normal.
Systolic IAD has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, PAD, and all-cause mortality. Nonetheless, systolic IAD can be a good predictor of subclinical atherosclerosis and the consequent cardiovascular events.
Aim of the work:
The aim of this study was to:
1. Identify thesystolic inter-arm blood pressure difference (IAD) in T2DM patients in Alexandria.
2. Study the relation between systolic IAD and target organ damage in T2DM.