‘How to manage hypertension’

What is hypertension? High blood pressure also known as hypertension has a complex definition. What we consider as hypertension is when the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure is high. A patient is considered hypertensive when the blood pressure is more than or equal to 140 over 90. Of course, the patient might come making […]

What is hypertension?
High blood pressure also known as hypertension has a complex definition. What we consider as hypertension is when the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure is high.
A patient is considered hypertensive when the blood pressure is more than or equal to 140 over 90. Of course, the patient might come making some complaints or some might not complain of any symptom- and that is why it is considered as a “silent killer”.
 It might be detected during a routine check or when a patient just comes for malaria or typhoid test.And also when you are just checking the blood pressure. It is something we detect not because it really gives major symptoms, and that is why it is called a silent killer.

How prevalent is the disease in Nigeria?
First, the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria is considered to be very high because studies have been done and information have been taken from some database for example the Medline and M-base. The  overall prevalence is 8:46, which is an average of 28.9 percent. When this is related to age, sex and area, the percentage in men is higher than that of women.
In men we have about 29 percent while women is 25 percent. Note that as one advances in age, the prevalence increases. However, it is higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

Why is there a high prevalence in urban areas than rural areas?
The prevalence in urban area is due to technological advancement and industrial activities. The mental stress is much more in the urban areas, and people hardly take good care of  themselves, eat well or eat good food. They consume lot of salt and cholesterol based food and have no time to exercise.
 Life is more complicated in the urban areas, and that is why the prevalence is higher. In the rural areas people have access to fresh food and they are less stressed.

Hypertension used to be considered an illness of elderly people, why is it common among young people now?
The fact that you are young does not exempt you from developing hypertension. Younger individuals develop it due to their lifestyles and social habit. We have young men and women today that smoke, take a lot of alcohol, and engage in different lifestyles. Most of them do not exercise, they eat junk food and foods high in cholesterol. Some do not watch their weight which contributes a lot to hypertension.

What measures should people take to effectively manage hypertension?
For those already diagnosed, a lot of lifestyle changes must be done to put their system in order. Those who smoke must stop it, those who take alcohol must stop it too. Such people must also stop eating high cholesterol based food, and engage in exercise such as brisk walking or jogging.
Such individuals must begin treatment and adhere to their doctors’s prescriptions. That is take their medications regularly and be in compliance. These are the steps that help control High Blood Pressure.
For those that have not been diagnosed, everybody from the age of 18 to 20 is expected to check their blood pressure regularly at least once or twice in a week. Because  as one progresses in age, the risk of becoming hypertensive increases.

In what ways can stakeholders assist in tackling hypertension?
A lot can be done by the government and the private sector through creating health care facilities and centers. Having these facilities could help prevent, detect and treat hypertension.
It helps with prevention, because those who are not hypertensive can go there regularly to see their family doctors. This strategy has been adopted in Cuba where doctors are assigned to specific populations and people to help curb issues of complications.
What we should know is that hypertension can lead to so many complications such as; kidney failure, heart failure,  stroke and so on, and we must take measures to prevent it.