World Hypertension Day: Check your BP, Cardiologists tell Lagosians

In commemoration of the year 2020 World Hypertension Day (WHD), cardiologists at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) have encouraged Lagosians to check their blood pressure regularly, in spite of the novel coronavirus ravaging the state and country at large.  World Hypertension Day is a day designated and initiated by the World Hypertension League (WHL), an umbrella to organisations of 85 national hypertension societies and leagues. The day was initiated to increase the awareness of hypertension. The theme of WHD for the past five years had been ‘Know Your Numbers’ with the goal of increasing high blood pressure (BP) awareness in all populations around the world. But this year the theme for World Hypertension Day 2020 is ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure, Control It, Live Longer’.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, is a ‘silent killer’ and a ‘global public health issue’ because most affected individuals shows no symptoms. It is also said to be the ‘most important preventable cause of heart disease and stroke worldwide’. Dr. Adeola Ajibare, a consultant physician and cardiologist at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and lecturer at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), said the World Hypertension League (WHL) has encouraged people to get involved in May Measurement Month (MMM); which implies that the whole month of May has been dedicated to the measurement of the blood pressure of the populace.  To stay healthy, he noted that WHO recommends a healthy diet, no alcohol, physical activity, and no tobacco and stress management as steps to minimise the odds of developing high blood pressure and its adverse consequences.

Also, Dr. Folasade Adeola Daniel, a consultant physician, and cardiologist at the LASUTH stressed the importance of knowing one’s systolic (the top number or highest blood pressure when the heart is squeezing and pushing the blood round the body) and diastolic (the bottom number or lowest blood pressure between heartbeats).