World Hypertension Day: FCTA Advises Staff on Regular Check-Ups

By: Sunday Shekwonya

In commemoration of the 2024 World Hypertension Day, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has advised staff to regularly check up their Blood Pressure (BP).

The Director of Public Health, FCTA, Dr. Doris John, who gave this advice during the Flag-off of the World Hypertension Day, at Area 11, FCTA Secretariat, Tuesday, said World Hypertension Day is an annual programme that is observed every 17th of May, Worldwide to educate people about BP.

John explained that, Hypertension, which is also known as High Blood Pressure is a sustained rise in blood pressure above normal for age, sex, or race which has two major types known as Primary or essential and secondary or nonessential hypertension.

The Director enjoined the general public, especially the staff of the FCT Administration to embrace the habit of a regular check of Blood Pressure to avoid health complications often caused by the disease; noting that Hypertension is one of the major silent killer disease that every individual must take all the precaution measures seriously.

Her words: “We are calling on the general public to always go for regular check-ups of their Blood Pressure to avoid heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and untimely death. In fact, let the general public know that Hypertension which is caused by High Blood Pressure is one of the silent killer disease across the globe, so people must take it seriously.”

Speaking with the Abuja Digest, a Consultant Cardiologist, at Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital and Principal Investigator and Researcher, at the Cardiovascular Unit, University of Abuja, Associate Professor Dike Orji, enumerated some causes of Hypertension as: hereditary, gender, age, excessive alcohol intake, and tobacco usage.

According to Orji, other factors include: overweight and obesity, unhealthy diet, excessive salt intake, sedentary lifestyle, stress, prolonged use of oral contraceptive pills in some women, drug abuse, and the presence of some chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney diseases, and thyroid dysfunction.

Orji also presented some preventive measures for Hypertension as follows: regular medical check-ups; regular Blood Pressure screening; healthy body weight; eating healthy food with plenty of fruit, vegetables, and roughage; avoiding excessive salt intake, and avoiding food with high-fat content.

Others enumerated include: moderate regular exercise; avoiding excessive alcohol intake; stopping tobacco usage; avoiding stress, engaging in leisure activity and sleeping well during the day; if pregnant, attend antenatal care regularly, and if on medication already, follow medical advice.

The Cardiologist also warned the public to be mindful of the symptoms of Hypertension which are not often obvious: headache, dizziness, palpitation, blurring vision, poor sleep, nose bleeding that is not caused by trauma and several other symptoms.

Orji explained that even though Hypertension is a silent killer, it is a curable disease with two major treatment patterns which include: non-drug treatment that deals basically with preventive advice, and drug treatment which involves an act of taking drugs prescribed by the doctor based on efficacy and side effects in a particular patient.

The Coordinator, of the Non-Communicable Disease Unit, Public Health Department, FCTA, Dr. Olubumi Adeyemi, stressed that World Hypertension Day is organized basically to educate people on how to prevent, treat, and control the silent killer disease called Hypertension, which in most cases may be present with no symptoms.

Dr. Adeyemi, however, called on the staff of FCTA to manage their Blood Pressure to avoid untimely death often caused by High Blood Pressure.

Abuja Digest recalls that the theme for the 2024 World Hypertension Day is ‘Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, and live longer.’