Max Healthcare Study Shows High BP and Diabetes Risks Rise After 40
Adults above 40 years of age should be routinely screened for both hypertension and diabetes because the chances of the two conditions occurring together rise sharply as a person ages, according to a recent Indian hospital-based study conducted across Delhi-NCR. The study was conducted by the department of clinical research and preventive health programme at Max Healthcare and has been published in the journal Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews.
The research examined health data collected over a four-year period across the region. Investigators analysed the electronic health records of more than 56,000 adults who underwent preventive health check-ups between January 2021 and December 2024. The data was gathered across six Max hospitals operating in Delhi-NCR.
Findings from the analysis revealed that nearly 5% of the adults studied had both hypertension and diabetes at the same time. This observed rate of dual burden is almost twice the prevalence that would normally be expected if hypertension and diabetes occurred completely independently of one another.
The study showed a marked age-related trend in how the two conditions manifest together. The prevalence of having both high blood pressure and diabetes increased rapidly starting from around 40 years of age. This trend continued to climb consistently until about 58 years of age, before eventually plateauing at nearly 17% by around 70 years of age.
Based on these observed patterns, researchers highlighted the necessity for early health screening and preventive intervention, particularly for adults reaching middle age.
The study also established a strong association between the two medical disorders. Individuals who had diabetes were found to be nearly four times more likely to also have hypertension than those without diabetes. At the same time, individuals with hypertension were found to be around 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes than people who maintained normal blood pressure readings.
The findings from the electronic health record analysis across six Max hospitals in Delhi-NCR underscore the importance of joint health assessments for both conditions during routine preventive check-ups for individuals aged 40 and older.
