As many as two out of three people with diabetes have high blood pres- sure. The only way to know you have high blood pressure is to be tested. If you have diabetes, you should have your blood pressure checked every time you go to a doctor, or at least two to four times a year. Because both diabetes and high blood pressure are major contributors to cardiovascu- lar disease, it is even more important that a person with diabetes keep blood pressure at a lower level (less than 130/80 mm Hg) than it is for others. In addition to diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and moderate alcohol consumption, your doctor may recommend one or more med- ications: diuretics, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, angiotensin-2 receptor blockers, or calcium channel blockers .