About 70 percent of Nigerians are unaware they are hypertensive, a factor experts say is putting the country’s citizens at risk.
In an interview with BusinessDay, Amam Mbakwem, president, Nigerian Cardiac Society, says hypertension is quit high in Nigeria with prevalence rate put at 40 percent.
“One of the reasons is because we are all changing our lifestyle, living sedentary lifestyle, much salt intake, not exercising, and excessive body weight are factors that increase prevalence rate,” Mbakwem says.
She also says that family history, smoking and too much alcohol intake are strong contributory factors, and cautioned against eating too much unrefined carbohydrate like rice, as it increases the risk of the disease.
She however advises Nigerians to eat fruit and vegetables, and then at least check your blood pressure regularly, as “hypertension can be treated with lifestyle changes and with medication. So, you must see your doctor or your health care provider for help in managing it.”
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.
It is a non-communicable disease but can be inherited. It can strain the heart, damage blood vessels, and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney problems and eventually lead to death.
Bisi Bright, a public health consultant and CEO, Livewell Initiative, says one in every three to five Nigerian is hypertensive.
The disease can be averted through a healthy lifestyle, eating balanced diet and getting enough sleep, she says.
“Nigeria is a very stressful place. So, the stress level is very high. This is because of the poor infrastructure and human resource support systems, and these result in stressful conditions,” she says.
