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*Key Ways to Prevent It
At the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Fred and his friends who come to walk with him every Sunday were doing the morning routine, when he narrated a story, “My friend travelled home to East without his BP (blood pressure) medication. He travelled for one event. He was drinking with others. When he wanted to go home, he paid for everybody that was drinking with him. But why driving home he had heart attack and died instantly. His family was shocked. They conducted autopsy and it was confirmed he died of hypertension. The heart attack was caused by hypertension.
“That thing has been killing many people. And this guy was not more than 35 years. Many of us in the same line (Idumota market, Lagos) are still shocked. Somebody that just left the other day. We spoke on phone the same day he died. I know of some other young men who are in the same market who died of hypertension,” he narrated.
Most often those suffering from hypertension were shocked when they were told they had the disease. This is because besides occasional headache, they may not notice any other symptoms. But there ae usually many but people who don’t notice anything. That’s why it is called silent killer.
Daily Trust carried out investigation on the impact of hypertension in Nigeria. It noted that the number of young adults suffering from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension in Nigeria, is rising by the day. Before now, many thought hypertension was a disease of older adults or the elderly, but studies have shown that younger adults within the ages of 18 to 45 years are increasingly coming down with high blood pressure in the country.
This has led to growing concerns, as some studies have shown that the prevalence rate of hypertension among young adults in Nigeria is as high as 21.3 per cent in some areas.
Daily Trust also wrote that some of those affected are students of secondary and tertiary institutions who have a hard time coping with the rising cost of medications. In Nigeria, hypertension is a leading cause of death and illness among the elderly.
Records indicate that the presence of hypertension at a young age increased the risk of cardiovascular events at middle age. It contributes to an earlier onset of coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and transient ischaemic attacks.
According to Daily Trust, high blood pressure occurs when the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is consistently too high.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that your blood pressure is high when you have consistent systolic readings of 140 mm Hg or higher, or diastolic readings of 90 mm Hg or higher.
Daily Trust quoted Prof Augustine Odili, the president of the Nigerian Cardiac Society and chairman of the Africa Regional Advisory Group for the International Society of Hypertension, who explained it thus: “Measurement of blood pressure is written in two values. The one written on top is the systolic and the one below is the diastolic. So, if your systolic blood pressure is above 140 and the diastolic blood pressure is above 90, you are said to be hypertensive.”
In preventing hypertension among Nigerians, the books will tell you, “To prevent hypertension in Nigerians, adopt a lifestyle that includes a diet low in salt, saturated fats, and added sugars, rich in fruits and vegetables; maintain a healthy weight through regular physical activity; limit or avoid alcohol and tobacco; manage stress effectively; and get adequate sleep. Regular blood pressure monitoring is also crucial for early detection and intervention.
Yes, these recommendations are good but the key things are: make sure you maintain moderate weight. If your weight is incompatible with your body mass index, check yourself. Nigerians can be told not to drink alcohol, use too much salt and sugar; but the truth is that a lot of men in Nigeria do not control the food they eat because they largely eat out. Married ones can agree with their wives on the use of salt and sugar but you cannot direct a bukka or restaurant on use of salt and sugar. On alcohol, a lot of Nigerians take alcohol and they are not planning to stop. So, they can engage in intentional and consistent exercise to burn out the alcohol and ensure they sleep well.
Treatment
According to Mayo Clinic, changing your lifestyle can help control and manage high blood pressure. Lifestyle changes including: eating a heart-healthy diet with less salt, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight, limiting alcohol, not smoking and getting 7 to 9 hours sleep daily.
Mayo Clinic also asserted that life style changes can really eliminate hypertension, but if it doesn’t go, you will be placed on medication.
Medications
The type of medicine used to treat hypertension depends on your overall health and how high your blood pressure is. Two or more blood pressure drugs often work better than one. It can take some time to find the medicine or combination of medicines that works best for you.
When taking blood pressure medicine, it’s important to know your goal blood pressure level. You should aim for a blood pressure treatment goal of less than 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) if:
The ideal blood pressure goal can vary with age and health conditions, particularly if you’re older than age 65.
The reality in Nigeria is that many Nigerians are engaged in high level activities with little rest which dispose them to hypertension. Life adjustment is very important.
