Choices and goals in the treatment of the diabetic hypertensive patient.

The number of people living in the United States who have diabetes and high blood pressure is over 11 million and rising. Together, these two diseases are devastating to the whole body if not aggressively controlled. The tight recommendations put forth by the Joint National Committee VI for better control of blood pressure and control of proteinuria have helped diminish further organ failure in patients with hypertension and diabetes. Combination therapy has been found to be very effective, and one arm should be an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.