Does the coexistence of hypertension and type 2 diabetes (T2D) significantly raise the risk of death? The answer is positive according to an extensive prospective analysis published in Diabetes Care.

Researchers examined data from 48,727 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. The individuals were categorized into four groups, i.e., neither condition, hypertension only, T2D only, or both. Mortality outcomes were assessed over a median follow-up of 9.2 years.

The prevalence of concurrent hypertension and T2D doubled from 6% in 1999 to 12% in 2018. During the study period, 7,734 participants died. Compared with individuals free of both conditions, those with coexisting hypertension and T2D had a 2.46-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality and a 2.97-fold higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.

The risks were more substantial in women than in men (P for interaction <0.01). When compared directly with those having only one condition, individuals with both experienced up to a 66% higher all-cause mortality and more than double the risk of cardiovascular death. Mortality risks also varied by race and ethnicity.

The study also reported that concurrent prediabetes and higher blood pressure elevate mortality risk by up to 19%.