Over 70% of Nigerians with Hypertension unaware – NHF
The Chairman of the Nigerian Heart Foundation, Prof. Basden Onwubere said, more than 70 percent of Nigerians who are living with High Blood Pressure (HBP), are unaware of it.
Onwubere raised the alarm over the low level of awareness of hypertension in Nigeria when NHF joined the rest of the world to mark 2022 World Hypertension Day with a theme, “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer.”
Globally, more than one billion people are known to have Hypertension and the figure is estimated to increase to 1.5 billion by 2025.
“Of great concern is the fact that more than half of the individuals with Hypertension are unaware of it. In many of the low and middle income countries, less than 40 per cent are unaware. In some of these countries’ awareness levels are even less than 30 percent.
“A nation-wide survey in Nigeria published about two decades ago by Akinkugbe et al showed awareness level for Hypertension of 30 percent and recent publications have not shown any significant improvement in this regard, and in Nigeria more than 70 percent of those with Hypertension are unaware of it though the population in Nigeria has increased significantly over the last decade.
“This low level of awareness has given it the name. The Silent Killer,” Onwubere said.
Hypertension is also noted in that publication to be the most common non-communicable disease (NCD), in Nigeria. It is a known cardiovascular risk factor with a significant number of global deaths attributable to its complications.
To maintain adequate control of hypertension, it is advisable to maintain the following lifestyles: reduce salt consumption and maintain a policy of no added salt after food has been prepared with appropriate quantities of salt.
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