Hypertension, now killing young Nigerians – Experts

PUNCH NEWSPAPER: Medical personnel have raised the alarm that young people in their 30s now die daily of hypertension, a disease often described as a silent killer, BUKOLA ADEBAYO writes

Before now, hypertension usually signposted by high blood pressure, was not too common among the young.  But physicians in the nation’s hospitals said that young Nigerians in their 30s and 40s are now becoming the victims of the deadly disease. This, they said, was due to ignorance and poor management of the ailment.

To reduce deaths occasioned by hypertension, experts have called for increased awareness on the prevention and early detection of the disease. Experts claim about 250,000 lives would be saved yearly with early detection of hypertension in Nigeria.

Cardiologist, neurologists and some chief medical directors of hospitals who spoke with our correspondent said 70 per cent of the underlying causes of terminal diseases such as heart failure, cardiac arrest, kidney and liver failure originated from patients who did not know that they had high blood pressure.

They warned that unlike before when it was just old people who were dying of high blood pressure, young Nigerians in their 30s now die of hypertension.

According to a consultant neurosurgeon with Cedacrest Hospitals, Abuja, Dr. Abiodun Ogungbo, doctors have calculated that 25 per cent of adults in Nigeria have hypertension.

Ogungbo noted that the reality was that only one per cent of this 25 per cent knew that they had high blood pressure, hence the need for aggressive awareness on early detection of the disease in the country.

He stated that a patient is said to be hypertensive when the blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or above, most of the time.

Ogungbo said, “One in every four adults in Nigeria has hypertension and this is a very high percentage. More young persons are also dying of the complications of hypertension. Sadly many people who have it do not know. Millions of people are literally walking time bombs because of their high blood pressure because when it remains untreated, it causes heart attack, stroke or kidney disease.