By Femi Onasanya and Goke Gbadamosi
A call has gone to every adult to take necessary precautions and ensure management of hypertension, which is regarded as a leading non-communicable cardiovascular disease that causes untimely death on a global scale.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker who made this known in Abeokuta, while speaking at the inauguration of a Non-Governmental Organisation, StandUp for Women Society (SWS), said about 1. 4 billion people have hypertension worldwide.
Coker, who pointed out that 1 out of 4 men and 1 in 5 women battle with the disease, said no fewer than 1 in 5 people with hypertension have the condition under control, noting that the risk factors could be modifiable and non-modifiable.
‘’Family history, old age and co-existing diseases, such as diabetes and kidney issues are factors that cannot be modified, while unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, as well as excessive consumption of tobacco and obesity can be modified’’, Coker explained.
The Commissioner who said fatigue, nausea, early morning headaches, irregular heart rhythm and anxiety, among others are symptoms of the disease, stated that uncontrolled hypertension could result in heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and a number of other cardiovascular diseases, emphasising the need for regular blood pressure check-up.
She urged all stakeholders to join the State government in creating awareness on the disease, through community outreach and media engagement across different platforms.
