How to prevent sudden death in people over 60

With the recent increase in rates of people slumping and dying in the country, experts say it is important for Nigerians to adopt some preventive measures. They said while exercise is healthy for people of all ages, the elderly need to take certain steps and be mindful of some things before embarking on certain exercises. […]

With the recent increase in rates of people slumping and dying in the country, experts say it is important for Nigerians to adopt some preventive measures.

They said while exercise is healthy for people of all ages, the elderly need to take certain steps and be mindful of some things before embarking on certain exercises.

Their advice comes as the country recorded sudden deaths among the elderly while playing one sport or the other or doing exercises. Due to the dearth of data in the country, there is currently no account on the number of people who have slumped and died in the country in the last few years.

In February this year, Major General Chris Jemitola (rtd), a former Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, slumped at the IBB Golf Club in Abuja. He was rushed to the hospital after collapsing, but was pronounced dead. He was 63 years old.

Similarly, last Sunday, Caleb Olubolade, the former military administrator of Bayelsa State, slumped at a lawn tennis facility in Lagos. He passed away at the age of 70.

Olubolade, who served as minister of special duties under former President Goodluck Jonathan, was said to have driven himself to the facility to play lawn tennis and slumped while playing. Efforts were made by medical officers around to revive him to no avail. He was rushed to a hospital but pronounced dead.

Moreso, cases abound of people who were presumed fit and went jogging in the morning only to slump and die shortly after.

Abdulazeez Jimoh recalls losing a close relative in such a circumstance.

 

He said, “He was barely 50, and actually did early morning jogging regularly but that fateful day, he slumped while jogging and efforts to revive him failed.”

Beyond those who died while engaging in one physical activity or exercise or the other, in the last one year, Nigeria has recorded many incidents of people who slumped and died while at worship centres, in their houses, during the various religious fasting periods and while watching football matches. They range from young persons to the elderly, as well as popular figures in the country.

Medical experts said many cases of sudden deaths can be linked to cardiac arrest and cardiovascular diseases.

According to Dr Charles Anjorin, a consultant physician and cardiologist at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, cardiovascular diseases are most implicated in cases of sudden deaths, which have become very frequent in Nigeria.

He said, “By sudden death, we mean unexpected death in an individual previously thought to be quite well. Common causes of this include severe hypertension, acute heart failure, stroke, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and disorders of the electrical activity of the heart, also known as disorders of heart rhythm.”

Also, Dr Ugochukwu Eze, a physician, said sudden death also known as sudden cardiac death or sudden cardiac arrest, occurs due to sudden cessation of the heart in an otherwise healthy individual.

He said it is the common scenario when a young or elderly person suddenly slumps, becomes breathless and pulseless with no antecedent history of trauma.

The medical doctor said usually there is an underlying medical condition which may or may not be known to the patient at the time of the event.

 

What the elderly should be mindful of

Akingbade said elderly people can die while doing exercise, especially when they have underlying illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension that are bad and not well controlled.

He said, “It is called cardiac arrest or heart failure, because the heart is already weak and if they are now doing exercise, suddenly that exercise will overwhelm the heart and which will not be able to pump blood, leading to the person’s collapse.

“Some of them can come back if they are properly resuscitated but if they are not, they will die.”

He said the elderly, especially those with diabetes and hypertension, should not indulge in exercises that will work them up too much or are stressful. He said they can walk around or walk long distances but not play golf or table tennis.

He said, “But an elder that doesn’t have heart disease can do brisk walking or riding a bicycle or playing golf.

“If they are doing exercises, they should be mindful of the exercise; they can walk around and not exercise that is stressful.”

 

‘Check how your body feels‘

The physiotherapist said in doing exercise, “people should try to focus on how their bodies feel as they move, the rhythm of breathing, the way their feet strike the ground, their muscles flexing, for example. You’ll improve your physical condition faster, relieve stress and anxiety, and more likely avoid accidents or injuries.”

He said, “Listen to your body because exercise should never hurt or make you feel lousy. Stop exercising immediately and call your doctor if you feel dizzy or short of breath, develop chest pain or pressure, break out in a cold sweat, or experience pain.

“Put your routine on hold if a joint is red, swollen, or tender to the touch. The best way to cope with injuries is to avoid them in the first place. If you regularly experience pain or discomfort after exercising, try exercising for less time but more frequently throughout the day.”

He said exercise should start slowly and build up steadily, adding that if one has not been active for a while, building up an exercise programme will help little by little.

 

Medical clearance

Akingbade advised that before embarking on an exercise programme, one should get medical clearance from a doctor, especially if one has a pre-existing medical condition to know if there are activities they should avoid.

He said in doing the exercise, people should consider health concerns, keeping in mind how their ongoing health problems affect their workouts. For example, diabetics may need to adjust the timing of medication and meal plans when setting an exercise schedule.