Prevalence of Hypertension among Diabetic Patients in Benghazi: A Study of Associated Factors

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension are diseases reported to be the first and second leading cause of all deaths in both developed and developing countries, including Libya. Increasing age, the presence of obesity, and worsening renal function all contribute to an increased likelihood of hypertension in people with diabetes; which makes both crucial public health concerns for the twenty first century. The purpose of this paper was to identify the prevalence of hypertension among diabetes patients in Benghazi via cross-sectional study. Moreover, it aimed to study the subjects’ characteristics, anthropometric, and clinical variables contributing to this prevalence. The sample, representing subjects aged 30 years and older, consisted of 118 subjects, 72 of whom were females (61.02%), while 46 were males (38.99%). The current study reported (85.6%) prevalence of hypertension among diabetic patients in Benghazi. Age, sex, physical activity, duration of DM and basal body mass index (BMI) were the variables which associated with prevalence of hypertension among Benghazi diabetic patients.