Reducing blood pressure could significantly reduce the risk of “major cardiovascular events” for people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the study was led by a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher.

Diabetes UK explains: “People with diabetes and high blood pressure are more at risk of having a heart attack or stroke”. And while your GP is best placed to advise how to keep your blood pressure within a healthy range for you, “blood pressure target is usually below 140/90mmHg for people with diabetes or below 150/90mmHg if you are aged 80 years or above” – with the first number representing systolic pressure and the second number representing diastolic pressure.

However, the researchers found that lower systolic blood pressure could have a cardiovascular benefit for people with diabetes. For the study, more than 12,000 people with type 2 diabetes who had elevated systolic blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease were recruited.

Participants were randomly assigned to two groups with different systolic blood pressure treatment goals. One group had a standard goal of less than 140, and one group had a goal of less than 120.

The participants reached or came close to their target numbers soon after starting blood pressure medication. At a one-year follow-up, the standard-target group had an average systolic blood pressure of 133.2, while the intensive-target group had an average systolic blood pressure of 121.6.

At a four-year follow-up, the intensive blood pressure treatment further reduced cardiovascular disease by 21% compared to standard treatment, according to Jiang He, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Epidemiology in the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern and one of the senior authors of the study.

He said: “These results provide support for more intensive systolic blood pressure control in patients with diabetes to prevent major cardiovascular events.”

While the groups had similar numbers of serious adverse events, the intensive-target group did have more incidences of hyperkalemia, which refers to high potassium levels in your blood, and hypotension, which refers to blood pressure that’s too low.

If you have any concerns about your help, speak to your GP.