PAUL ADUNWOKE, Health Correspondent
World Hypertension Day is observed on May 17th every year to raise global awareness about the silent killer responsible for premature deaths which sometimes lead to kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke among other ailments.
Hypertension is also known as Blood Pressure (BP) as health professionals advised Nigerians to go for regular medical checkups and live a healthy lifestyle so as to prevent its occurrence, as prevention is cheaper than cure.
The theme for this year World Hypertension Day, according to World Health Organization (WHO), is “Controlling Hypertension Together: Check Your Blood Pressure Regularly, Defeat the Silent Killer” as a way of encouraging regular medical checkups across the global communities.
Consultant clinical nutritionist and Head, Dietetics Department Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile Ife Osun State, Dr Ogbonna Obinna, said hypertension is one of the symptoms of an underlying on going disease condition, which include and not limited to kidney disease.
He said hypertension is a symptom of disease condition but because of its violence in nature, people think it is disease condition. He noted that hypertension does not stand alone, it is just showcasing that there is a serious problem ongoing in the human system, it could be heart issue, it could be renal issue, it could be diabetic issue among others. “It comes as a complication of underlying disease condition.”
He said hypertension on its own may not be really classified as a disease. It could be classified as primary or secondary types. According to him, the primary type could be idiopathic, that is no one knows the cause and the secondary type is due to an anomaly or an underlying on going disease condition in the body.
He explained that Kidney failure could be acute or chronic. For acute kidney failure, could be sudden loss of blood, dehydration or ingestion of poisons or chemicals could lead to it while chronic kidney failure is a long standing kidney disease which could be as a result of untreated nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis or a prolong intake of injurious substances like energy drinks, sachet alcohol or body creams containing mercury or other heavy metals used in its production.
He said healthy lifestyle is a key to avoiding kidney failure and dietary modification is important. “Avoid all foods, drinks or chemicals that are injurious to the kidney as earlier highlighted.”
He said treatment for kidney failure include dietary intervention, such as eating enough fruit and vegetables, going for dialysis and kidney transplant are common treatment of kidney failure.
Obinna said there are two major ways of treating hypertension, which include chemotherapy that is using anti-hypertensive drugs or using dietary approach to manage it.
He said the dietary approach includes eating enough dietary foods with fruits and vegetables. “But the two treatments of hypertension could be combined together where one could use the chemotherapy and combine it with dietary modification such as using the drugs, taking fruits and vegetables, reducing salt intake with little quantity of carbohydrate and redefined or processed foods.”
Also, speaking, Consultant Public Health Physician at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Dr. Kayode Adeleke said hypertension is not curable but it can be managed. “It is not like malaria, where you can treat it and it is cured.”
He said “the patient has to be on a drug for many years and control his/her diet, reduce salt and maggi intake, the patient should not smoke or take alcohol. As all these lifestyles have been found to be causing high blood pressure. The patient should avoid all these to manage the hypertension to normal rage which is 120/80 BP.”
He said the theme for this year is a call for action because hypertension is called silent killer because most times it does not come with signs and symptoms but by the time the patient begins to have symptoms it is too late. Therefore, the best way to reduce hypertension in Nigeria is for adults aged 40 years and above to go for hypertension test regularly.
He said those who have hypertension should go for medical checkups every week while those who do not have it should go for checkups every month, in order to encourage early detection and treatment especially with health lifestyle.
He disclosed in 2025 statistics showed 30 to 40% Nigerians are hypertensive, saying this burden can be reduced with regular hypertension check-ups in order to control it to normal rage which is 120/80 BP.
He said: “We have seen cases where people who were walking around and just slumped and died because the blood pressure is high. At this stage it has come to 200/130 or 220/130 BP, the patient would slump and die, it could be called heart attacks or stroke.”
Senior Medical Officer, at Limi Hospital and Maternity, Abuja, Dr. Michael Enyinnaya Omoke, said hypertension is the commonest cause of stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.
He said one out of three adult Nigerians is hypertensive. “There may be no obvious symptoms or signs that is why it is called a silent killer. To reduce death due to hypertension, include regular blood pressure check is compulsory for every adult especially when there is positive family history of hypertension,” Omoke said.
He maintained that health education on the signs, symptoms and management of hypertension in schools and media is very important, including cutting down on salt intake as salt increases the chance of hypertension. “Regular conscious exercise, cut down on alcohol consumption if possible stop it. Quit any form of smoking, cut down on cholesterol-containing foods, fatty foods, red meat, fried things.”
On how to reduce hypertension in Nigeria, he said include early and light dinner, maintain a normal body mass index, avoid overweight or obesity, regular medical check-up.
Omoke said hypertension is very common and no longer the disease of the elderly. “Early diagnosis and prompt treatment is the key to avoid complications and death. Know your numbers. Remember once diagnosed, it is about control and not cure. Lifestyle changes plays a great role in the management of hypertension.
A Consultant Cardiologist, at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja and senior lecturer at Lagos State College of Medicine, Ikeja Lagos, Dr Adeola Ajibare, said hypertension is also called high blood pressure or systemic hypertension- a clinical condition that occurs when the blood pressure is persistently elevated above 140/90mmHg.
The complications are myriad, including but not limited to stroke, heart failure, heart attack, kidney diseases among others.
He said there is a rising prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa and the world at large. Unfortunately, the rate of rise in the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is worse compared to the developed world.
More worrisome is the fact that the prevalence of hypertension and its complications are rising while we have challenges with manpower as a result of brain drain.
Ajibare said the rise in cases may be directly related to the rise in the risk factors of hypertension. “These risk factors include but are not limited to a stressful lifestyle, increasing age, cigarette and alcohol use, unhealthy eating which are high in salt and cholesterol but lacking in fruits and vegetables, lack of exercise, low quality and quantity of sleep, obesity, advancing age and male gender.”
He therefore as used on the treatmemt of the underlying risk factors. “This means that the treatment of hypertension is both pharmacological (using medications) and non pharmacological (using lifestyle changes), and both are complimentary to each other.”
He explained that hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular death worldwide and this is regrettably preventable.
He said the governments and policymakers should prioritize heart health, enhance access to patients care and medications and also prioritize the welfare of doctors and other health workers.
To the health workers, he urged them all to continue saving lives and dishing out life saving medical education for the patients and help prioritize heart health.
To the patient, he urged them to get their information from reliable sources, live a healthy lifestyle, go for regular health check and take their medications as prescribed.
To everyone, he said, according to the theme of this year’s World Hypertension Day, Let us join hands control hypertension together.
For a better society
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
