OBJECTIVES: Persistent high blood pressure (BP) can increase the risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions as cardiovascular diseases, strokes and kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of uncontrolled BP among type 2 diabetic outpatients.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the endocrine clinic, Hospital Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, October 2016-2017. Subjects were categorized by initial BP as having hypotension (≤90/≤60 mmHg), normal BP (91-119/61-79 mmHg), prehypertension (120-139/80-89 mmHg), controlled hypertension (<140/<90 mmHg, and <130/<80 mmHg for patients with renal failure and/or cardiovascular disease). High BP (stage-1) is 140-159/90-99 mmHg, high BP (stage-2) 160-179/100-109 mmHg and urgency BP is ≥180/≥110 mmHg without organ damage. Findings were presented as descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: About 600 diabetic outpatients age was (55±14.8) years old and females 310 (51.7%). Subjects with hypertension were 465 (77.5%) patients, age (57.6±14.8) years old, males 234 (52.3%) and (Ethnicity: Malaysian 173 (37.2%), Chinese 164 (35.2%), Indian 124 (26.7%), others 4 (0.9%)). Controlled hypertension was 192 (41.3%) cases, age (59.5±14.8) years old and males 112 (58.3%). Uncontrolled hypertension was 273 (58.7%) subjects, age (56.3±14.8) years old, females 151 (55.3%). Stage-1 hypertension was 168 (61.5%) patients, age (54.5±14.8) years old and females 100 (59.5%). Stage-2 hypertension was 49 (17.9%) cases, age (53.7±14.8) years old and females 25 (51%). Urgency hypertension was 20 (7.3%) patients, age (55.8±14.8) years old and females 15 (75%). Hypotension was 36 (13.2%) subjects, age (68.4±14.8) years old and females 25 (69.4%). Prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension among males was 122 (52.1%), females 151 (65.4%), Malaysian 110 (63.6%), Indian 73 (58.9%) and Chinese 87 (53%).

CONCLUSIONS: More than three-quarters of the subjects had hypertensionMoreover half of the hypertensive subjects had uncontrolled BP. Hypotension is predominant among older patients and females. Males and Chinese had more controlled BP than females and Malaysian.