Expert Urges Nigerians to Undergo Regular Check-Ups

A public health consultant, Dr Omowunmi Bakare, has advised Nigerians to visit medical experts for regular check-up.

Bakare gave the advice in Ado Ekiti during a public lecture titled: “The prevention of cardiovascular disease”, organised by a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Babatunde Femi Owolabi Memorial Heart Foundation.

According to her, the rising incidence of heart diseases in Nigeria is responsible for the escalating hypertension and diabetes among the citizens.

She advised Nigerians above 30 years to always visit experts for regular check-up of their hearts’ status for healthy living and to guarantee long lives.

The expert described hypertension as a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure greater than 140/90mmHg, saying only regular check-up could unravel the disease for better medical management.

“Some of the warning symptoms include headache, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, chest pain, confusion, nose bleeding and palpitation.

Unfortunately, many people do not know they have it because these warning signs are not peculiar to hypertension alone.

“One in every 10 to 15 Nigerian adult is affected and less than one third of those that are aware of the condition are not receiving any form of treatment,” she said.

Risk factors of hypertension, according to her are obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, excessive alcoholic intake, high salt usage, aging, family history and lack of physical exercise.

Bakare however recommended “weight reduction, reduction in intake of red meat and processed food, reduction in alcoholic intake, stress, eating of more vegetables and fruits and regular exercises as non-pharmacological ways of avoiding heart-related disease.”