Study Finds Sharp Rise in Combined Hypertension and Diabetes After Age 40

A large-scale study conducted by the clinical research department of Max Healthcare analyzed electronic health records of more than 56,000 adults who underwent preventive check-ups across six hospitals in the Delhi-NCR region from January 2021 through December 2024. Published in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, the research found that close to 5% of the cohort suffered from both hypertension and diabetes at the same time, a prevalence nearly twice the expected independent occurrence.

The incidence of this dual burden accelerated sharply after the age of 40, continued rising until roughly age 58, and then plateaued at about 17% by the early 70s. Individuals with diabetes were almost four times as likely to have hypertension, and those with hypertension were about 2.5 times as likely to be diabetic. The investigators highlighted the strong link between the two conditions and called for integrated screening strategies for adults over 40 to prevent serious complications such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Dr Abhaya Indrayan emphasized that India’s growing non-communicable disease load requires a shift from disease-specific to combined preventive care.