The Magnitude of Diabetes Mellitus in Adult Hypertensive Patients in Northeast Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are the most common comorbid non-communicable chronic diseases that threaten human beings worldwide. Hypertension is associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus and vis-a-vis. However, there is limited information on the magnitude of diabetes mellitus in hypertensive patients in sub-Saharan countries. Hence, this study assessed the magnitude of diabetes mellitus and its associated factors among adult hypertensive patients attending a hypertension clinic in Northeast Ethiopia. METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study conducted on 407 participants from April to June 2019. The participants were included in the study using systematic random sampling. Data were collected using the WHO STEPwise method. We run descriptive statistics to determine the magnitude of diabetes mellitus in hypertensive patients and logistic regression to identify factors associated with diabetes, and statistically significant associations were declared at a P-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: The magnitude of diabetes mellitus among hypertensive patients was 29.1%, of whom 24% were newly diagnosed. Respondents with a family history of diabetes mellitus (AOR: 4.6, CI: 2.2, 9.48), increased waist-to-height ratio (AOR: 21.5, CI: 5.62,43.67), increased waist circumference (AOR: 3.2, CI: 1.58, 6.53) and primary school educational status (AOR: 3.2, CI: 1.41, 7.25) were more likely to have diabetes. Similarly, respondents with longer hypertension duration (AOR: 4.09, CI: 1.22, 13.64), past daily smoking history (AOR: 10.46, CI: 1.59,6.8), increased diastolic blood pressure (AOR: 4.15, CI: 1.51, 11.37), and increased waist circumference (AOR: 7.5, CI: 4.47,14.95) were more likely to be diagnosed newly for diabetes. CONCLUSION: Our study indicated around one-third of hypertensive patients had diabetes. Family history of diabetes mellitus, primary educational status and increased waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference were significant predictors of diabetes among hypertensive patients. The finding suggests the need for regular diabetic screening among hypertensive patients.