Mortality and Morbidity in Treated Hypertensive Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Micro- or Macroproteinuria

In order to describe the natural history of high risk diabetic patients treated for hypertension we have followed a sequential sample of 100 hypertensive Type 2 diabetic patients with elevated urinary protein excretion (≥60 mg 24 h⁻¹) for a period of 1–7 years. Antihypertensive treatment was instituted in all patients and, in addition, the patients were offered the possibility of participation in an intensified antihypertensive therapy programme. After a mean follow-up of 4 years overall mortality was 13 %. Nineteen percent of all patients experienced a cardiovascular event and 7 % a cerebrovascular event. In conclusion, in this study the overall mortality was lower that previously reported in proteinuric Type 2 diabetic patients. Antihypertensive treatment may account for this outcome.