One in four Nigerians ‘at risk’ of high blood pressure

A recent study by the University of Edinburgh has shown that one of four Nigerians is at risk of high blood pressure.

The study, which was carried out by scientists at the University of Edinburgh, says that understanding of hypertension in Nigeria – where more than 20 million cases had been recorded as at 2010 – and other African countries has been affected by lack of patient data.

The scientists explained that there were more than 20 million cases of hypertension in Nigeria as at 2010, affecting one in three men and one in four women, with the figures set to rise to 39 million cases by 2030.

According to the results of the study, which have been published in the Journal of Hypertension, data from South Africa suggest that high blood pressure is treated effectively in less than 10 per cent of cases.

Researchers who conducted the first up-to-date nationwide assessment of the condition in Nigeria warned that it would strain the country’s already-stretched health system.

High blood pressure, known as hypertension, is twice as high in Nigeria compared with other East African countries; and less than 20 per cent of Nigerians are aware that they have the condition.

Already a major hidden killer in Nigeria, high blood pressure is set to sharply rise as the country adopts western lifestyles, while putting people at risk of heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.

The study identified increased public awareness, lifestyle changes, screening and early detection as vital to tackling the increasing threat of the disease.

“We have conducted a systematic search of high quality studies on hypertension across Nigeria and provided estimates of the prevalence and number of cases of hypertension in the country,” Davies Adeloye of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Population Health Sciences said, expressing hope that the research efforts would prompt appropriate policy response in the health sector.