As the number of people with high blood pressure increases in Nigeria and the prices of medication go up, medical experts are concerned that many Nigerians with this dangerous disease are not getting the medical care they need, even though they know about the serious health problems it can cause if it's not controlled or managed well.
The doctors revealed that 50 percent of the adult population in Nigeria who have high blood pressure are not receiving treatment, and because they can't afford their medications, more and more patients are experiencing health problems related to high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, as defined by the World Health Organization, occurs when the pressure in a person's blood vessels is too high (140/90 mmHg or higher).
According to the WHO, high blood pressure is common but can be very serious if it's not treated. Some of the risk factors include older age, genetics, being overweight or obese, lack of physical activity, high-salt diet, and excessive alcohol consumption.
The WHO also states that high blood pressure can lead to heart attack, heart failure, sudden death, stroke, kidney damage, and kidney failure among other complications.
Experts explain that while high blood pressure cannot be cured, it can be controlled through lifestyle changes and medication.
The WHO reports that an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 worldwide have high blood pressure, and the majority of them (two-thirds) live in low- and middle-income countries.
Data from the Nigerian Hypertension Society suggests that about 38 to 42 percent of adults in Nigeria have high blood pressure, which is considered very high.
Although most people with high blood pressure don't experience symptoms, doctors emphasize that very high blood pressure can lead to headaches, blurred vision, chest pain, and other symptoms.
They emphasized that regular blood pressure checks are the best way to determine if someone has high blood pressure.
The doctors who talked exclusively to PUNCH Healthwisealso mentioned that they are concerned that many Nigerians with high blood pressure are unaware of their condition. They warned that if high blood pressure is left untreated, it can cause other health issues such as kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.
They stated that high blood pressure is categorized into two types: primary or essential hypertension and secondary hypertension, depending on its causes.
A Nephrology Consultant at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Dr. Babawale Bello, told our reporter that the financial difficulties in the country have made the burden of high blood pressure and its related problems even worse.
The Medicine Associate Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, pointed out that due to the high cost of medication, many Nigerians with high blood pressure are no longer taking their medication regularly, and even those who are on medication are not consistent with it due to the expense.
However, the kidney specialist noted that doctors are particularly concerned that many Nigerians who have this silent killer disease are not aware of their condition.
He revealed that it is extremely risky for someone with high blood pressure to not be aware of it, cautioning that it could result in sudden death.
Bello pointed out, “We are concerned that half of Nigerians with hypertension are unaware of their condition. Of those who are aware, only half are receiving treatment and of those receiving treatment, only half are able to control it.
“For us as a people, it is even more difficult now because of the increasing cost of care. So, talk to your doctor if you have difficulties purchasing the medication he has prescribed. There are always less expensive alternatives he can prescribe.”
He stated that although data on the number of Nigerians living with hypertension varies, evidence indicates that the statistics are alarming.
“There is evidence to indicate that the percentage varies from region to region, and between urban and rural areas. But on average, the population of Nigerians living with hypertension will be between 20 percent to 30 percent in rural areas, and closer to 35 percent in urban areas”, he said.
He recommended that those with hypertension should regularly exercise and consume healthy diets, asserting that many people with high blood pressure can reduce their blood pressure to a healthy level by making lifestyle changes.
President of the Nigerian Hypertension Society, Professor Ayodele Omotoso, said primary hypertension accounts for about 90 to 95 percent of all cases of hypertension, and the remaining five percent is known as secondary hypertension.
He observed that the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria and globally has increased, while the rate of increase is highest in low-middle-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, such that the prevalence is about 38 to 42 percent in the adult population in Nigeria.
The don said the costs of drugs have gone up, lamenting that some patients can no longer afford their medications.
Omotoso, who is a Physician Cardiologist at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara State, affirmed that the costs of different medications have gone up and that within the past 12 months, you can talk of as high as a 200 to 300 percent increase.
He added, “I interacted with a patient recently who asked that his medications be changed, not because the medications were not working, but because he could no longer afford the medications. He started with about N2,500 per month, and about two weeks ago, that same medication was going for N22,000.
“You can then imagine someone who is on a minimum wage of N30,000, and you are asking him to take one of the many medications that they will be on for N22,000; the patient will not take the medication.”
The physician expressed worry that Nigerians living with hypertension might resort to concoctions as a result of the high cost of drugs.
“That will force patients to start looking for alternatives that they think are cheaper, which are native concoctions, and all forms of herbal tea, and if all those are not proven to be efficacious, they may lead to complications.
“One of the unfortunate dangers is that we will be seeing more and more of the complications of hypertension because the patients are not able to buy the medications”, he added.
He suggested that Nigerians should have regular health check-ups and urged those diagnosed with the condition not to neglect their medications.
