Consultant Cardiologist, Nisa Premier Hospital, Dr Damar Shawarji during his presentation
By Isah Hussein
As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark World Hypertension Day (WHD), a Consultant Cardiologist at the Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, Dr Damar Shawarji has called for life style modification in all Hypertensive patients.
He gave the advice on Tuesday during event organized to commemorate the World Hypertension Day by Nisa premier hospital, Abuja.
The theme for this year’s WHD “Measure Your Blood Pressure, Control It, Live Longer” was chosen by the World Hypertension League (WHL) based on current statistics showing uncomfortably low awareness and poor control of HBP.
Dr Shawarji noted that hypertension is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and needs to be treated. He said It is an extremely common condition which still remains under-diagnosed and undertreated.
Hypertension he said “is easy to diagnose and easy to treat and the aim of management is to save the target organs from the deleterious effects of the condition.
He observed that “In 2010, hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa was:The leading risk for death, estimated to cause more than 500,000 deaths and 10 million years of life lost”.
The cardiologist said “hypertension is the 6th leading risk for disability. Stroke, the major clinical outcome of uncontrolled hypertension, increased 46% from 1990 to 2010 to become the 5th leading risk for death.
“While 50% of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure,13% of deaths overall, 40% of deaths in people with diabetes are closely connected with the condition
“Besides pharmacology we have other choices and people need to be acquainted with these choices and life style modification should always be encouraged in all Hypertensive patients.
“Hypertension is a leading risk for dementia, renal failure, and fetal and maternal death in pregnancy.
“An estimated 7.3% of total health care spending is directly related to increased BP and its complications in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2001, more than $2 billion USD were spent on hypertension-related diseases”.
The cardiologist defined hypertension as systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 140 mmHg or greater, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of
90 mmHg or greater (taken on 2 different days), or taking antihypertensive medication.
He further added that based on 27 rigorously selected studies performed after 1980, and using the current definition of hypertension, authors estimated that 28% of the adult Nigerian population has hypertension, with slightly higher prevalence among urban than rural dwellers
He said the ideal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg but, in Nigeria, normal blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg. “Any figure higher than 140 mmHg for systolic blood pressure or 90 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure is regarded as hypertension.”
On what causes hypertension, he said: “The causes are not fully known in most cases and it is basically classified as primary/essential hypertension in about 10 per cent of the cases where the condition is known; it is called secondary hypertension (kidney, blood vessels and hormonal disorders are known causes).”
He said further that “essential hypertension is associated with two broad risk factors. Modifiable or preventable factors are: high intake of salt, sedentary lifestyles, physical inactivity, high cholesterol diet.
Other factors according to Dr Shawarji are; Low fruit consumption, obesity & weight gain, co-existing disorders such as diabetes and hyperlipidaemia, high intake of alcohol, diabetes mellitus; tobacco smoking, high alcohol intake, and stress as well as advancing Age, Sex (men and postmenopausal women), I family history of cardiovascular disease and psycho-social stress.
Dr Shawarji listed unmodifiable or non-preventable factors to include: family history (hereditary), inheritance from parents, age, sex, and black race, adding: “The reality is that HBP is a common disease and a silent killer. Unfortunately most people are not aware. People should routinely do BP check-up regularly
“To address the situation, everybody should regularly check his/her blood pressure ; those with hypertension should consult their medical practitioners for proper advice and, if hypertensive, take their medications regularly to achieve a good blood pressure control and thus prevent complications like stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure, which can shorten lifespan.
While encouraging Nigerians to engage in physical exercises for a minimum duration of 30 minutes on a daily basis or on at least three non-consecutive days per week,
The observance of WHD is a call for the need to increase hypertension awareness, accurately measure blood pressure, detect and control hypertension to prevent premature death. The proportion of Nigerians with hypertension is high, while awareness, treatment, and control rates are low despite the availability of potent drugs.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), globally, more than one billion people are known to have hypertension and the figure is estimated to increase to 1.5 billion by 2025.
Nisa Premier Hospital, a foremost private hospital in Abuja, is located at Alex Ekwueme way, Jabi in the FCT.
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