HYPERTENSION, Now Killing Young Nigerians - Experts say

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

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 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 percent 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 30s now die of hypertension.

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

Ogungbo noted that the reality was that only one percent of the 25 knew 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 complications of hypertension. Sadly many people who have it don't know. Millions of people are literally walking time bomb because of their high blood pressure because when it remains untreated, it cause heart attack, stroke or kidney disease.

"Unfortunately, I and other specialists like cardiac physicians and nephrologists see people with organ failure caused by poorly controlled hypertension"

Ogungbo said the disease was often referred to as silent killer because it had no symptoms  He added that it had been proven that high blood pressure was a major cause of sudden deaths.

He said, "The problem with high blood pressure is that it sneaks up on you. Doctors in Ibadan studied many autopsies and discovered that the patients died from complications of hypertension. Two autopsies studied have also shown that hypertension is the commonest underlying cause of sudden natural deaths. It has no signs, by the time it gives you symptoms such as Headaches, anxiety, visual problems and chest pains, it had already done damage to the important parts of the body"

Ogungbo said there was need to educate physicians and health care providers and Nigerians on the causes of high blood pressure to erase many misconceptions.

He said hypertension is not caused by stress, lack of sleep or depression. It is not also caused by the old woman in the village or by an evil arrow sent by colleague at work or next door neighbour. it is not that problem at home front. In about 90 percent of all cases, the causes of hypertension still remains unknown. 

The major way to check hypertension still remains early detection of the disease. So  regular check up is very important and drive away ignorance.