Blood pressure normally declines, or dips, during sleep. If blood pressure does not adequately decrease during the night, it is called “non-dipping.” If blood pressure increases at night relative to daytime levels, the phenomenon is referred to as “reverse dipping.” These abnormal blood pressure patterns are associated with increased risks of cardiovascular complications and death in adults with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

“Our study shows that 1 in 10 people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes could be a reverse dipper, and that this condition likely more than doubles the risk of death from any cause over 21 years’ time, regardless of blood pressure control. It is important that healthcare professionals look for abnormal blood pressure dipping patterns in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes,” Martina Chiriaco, an investigator in the department of clinical and experimental medicine at the University of Pisa in Pisa, Italy.