The most common heart rhythm abnormality, atrial fibrillation, is categorized by a rapid or irregular heartbeat leading to poor blood flow. In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), there have been no proven strategies to prevent this condition, until recently.
In a new study from the University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, researchers found that as compared with standard blood pressure lowering, intensive blood pressure lowering in patients with T2DM was associated with a reduced incidence of atrial fibrillation and abnormal P-Wave indices (PWI).
Health Talk spoke with Associate Professor Lin Yee Chen, M.D., M.S., whose research is focused on atrial fibrillation.
Health Talk (HT): What is PWI?
Lin Yee Chen (LYC): PWI indices are not only a surrogate or an intermediate phenotype for atrial fibrillation; PWI, in and of themselves, are associated with adverse outcomes including ischemic stroke.
HT: In terms of “intensive blood pressure lowering” what categorizes intensive?
LYC: The way doctors treat blood pressure is based on the report from the panel members of the eighth Joint National Committee. These guidelines recommend blood pressure goals of 140/90 mm Hg for those younger than 60 years of age and 150/90 mm Hg for those older than 60 years of age. However, our results showed that when systolic blood pressure was lowered to less than 120 mm Hg, there were potential benefits in terms of lowering the risk of atrial fibrillation.
HT: What does that mean in regards to patient care?
LYC: The recently published SPRINT trial—a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial of nondiabetic individuals—found that as compared with standard treatment (target systolic pressure <140 mmHg), intensive treatment (target systolic pressure <120 mmHg) reduced the rate of the primary endpoint, a composite of myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, heart failure, or cardiovascular death. Our findings extend the results of SPRINT by showing a potential cardiovascular benefit from intensive blood pressure lowering in patients with T2DM.
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