The new study says that by giving blood pressure drugs to diabetes patients it is possible to reduce the mortality rate significantly. According to the American Diabetes Association, 2 out of 3 people with diabetes die from heart disease and stroke.

The association says that while managing to control blood sugar should be the primary aim of diabetes therapy, equal attention must be paid to the management of blood pressure and management of cholesterol. This is because studies have shown that over 60 percent of people with diabetes have high blood pressure and almost all patients suffer from increased level of triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, or high LDL cholesterol.

the new trial shows that by giving two common blood pressure drugs in the form of diuretics and ACE inhibitors, it is possible to lower the risk of heart disease in diabetic patients.

The study called as ADVANCE (Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease) included 11,140 patients with diabetes from 20 countries across the globe. All patients were suffering from type 2 diabetes. the study lasted for four years.

All patients were randomly assigned to receive a fixed combination of ACE inhibitor perindopril and the diuretic indapamide or a placebo. Researchers found that people who received a combination of the blood pressure drugs had blood pressure readings that were 5-6 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of 2 mm Hg less than those who took a placebo.

Additionally, the researchers told the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Vienna that patients receiving the combined therapy had a 9 percent lower risk of a heart disease event and were also 18 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Furthermore these patients were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause.

The study was also published in The Lancet to coincide with its release at the cardiology meet.

Lead researcher Professor Stephen MacMahon from The George Institute for International Health in Australia said the results had wide-reaching implications for those suffering from type 2 diabetes. "This treatment reduced the likelihood of dying from the complications of diabetes by almost one-fifth, with virtually no side-effects," he added.

The ADVANCE Study was supported by Servier, the maker of the drugs perindopril and indapamide, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

Dr. Norman Kaplan, a hypertension expert from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas was cautious about the findings. In an accompanying commentary in The Lancet, he wrote, "As has been said many times before by many experts: In most circumstances, lowering the blood pressure is what counts, not the way by which it is lowered."

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. It is estimated that 170 million people worldwide suffer from this disease. Around 20 million in the United States are diabetics.

The disease is characterized by failure of the pancreatic beta cells to adequately respond to the increased demands for insulin that occur as a result of obesity-related insulin resistance. This raises the blood sugar levels beyond control.

Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States. It costs approximately $132 billion per year in direct and indirect medical expenses. Bringing some changes into routine lifestyle practices is very helpful in managing the condition.

However failure to control blood sugar levels leads to many complications including heart disease, blindness, nerve damage and kidney damage.

Adequately controlling blood pressure is vital to reduce the overall risk of heart disease in diabetic patients. However consumers are advised to consult their doctors before embarking on any treatment course.