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Tag: Hypertension

  • Report highlights Hypertension and Diabetes rising as silent killers in Ghana

    Report highlights Hypertension and Diabetes rising as silent killers in Ghana

    A 2024 study by Rivia, a network of tech-driven primary care clinics, has shed light on the growing prevalence of “silent” killer diseases in Ghana, signaling a serious threat to both individuals and the healthcare system.

    The report reveals that these conditions, which often develop unnoticed, are taking a significant toll on public health. It indicates that more than 80% of individuals aged 27-62 in a sample of 23,000 patients are hypertensive, with a particularly high rate of 68% among men. Additionally, the study found that 50% of a larger sample of 80,000 individuals suffer from undiagnosed or inadequately managed diabetes.

    The research also highlights that lifestyle choices—such as excessive salt consumption, alcohol misuse, and stimulant abuse—are contributing to an alarming rise in kidney disease, especially among younger generations, now affecting 23% of them. Among the 27-62 age group, the top five chronic health conditions identified include hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, mental health issues, and cancers.

    Addressing this growing public health crisis, the report stresses the need for a multifaceted approach, integrating government intervention, workplace health programs, and stronger preventive healthcare initiatives. It advocates for tax breaks to incentivize corporate wellness schemes and suggests that companies, unions, and associations should be required to offer subsidized annual health screenings for employees.

    The report also calls for more stringent food labeling laws aimed at reducing salt and sugar consumption in processed foods, helping consumers make more informed and healthier dietary decisions. It encourages workplaces to implement regular health checkups, mental health resources, stress management programs, and physical fitness activities to promote overall well-being.

    Key to improving access to preventative care, the report emphasizes the role of partnerships with providers like RiviaCare. It also urges the expansion of mobile health units and the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) network to reach underserved areas.

    Public education campaigns focused on the importance of regular health screenings and disease prevention are seen as crucial for empowering individuals to take ownership of their health. The report further stresses the need for specialized training for healthcare professionals in managing chronic diseases to ensure better patient care and outcomes.

  • Diabetes, hypertension cause sexual dysfunction in men – Health expert

    Diabetes, hypertension cause sexual dysfunction in men – Health expert

    CEO and Medical Director of Medicas Hospital, Dr. Yaw Osafo, has highlighted that diabetes and hypertension can lead to sexual dysfunction in men. He noted that late diagnosis and inadequate treatment of these conditions often result in complications that affect sexual health.

    “Some individuals experience sexual problems because their diabetes or hypertension was diagnosed late or they did not adhere to treatment plans, leading to complications,” Dr. Osafo stated on the Home Affairs show.

    He emphasized that these health issues significantly impact sexual function, with many men suffering from related complications.

    Instead of seeking appropriate medical treatment, many men exacerbate the issue by using aphrodisiacs.

    Dr. Osafo also pointed out a common oversight among medical practitioners: failing to inform male patients that certain medications for diabetes and hypertension can negatively affect sexual performance. “Physicians sometimes neglect to tell their patients about the potential sexual side effects of these medications,” he admitted.

  • Health expert encourage Ghanaians to prioritize regular checkups

    Health expert encourage Ghanaians to prioritize regular checkups

    A General Practitioner at St Michael’s Specialist Hospital in Lapaz, Dr Catherine Amofa, has urged Ghanaians to make regular visits to healthcare facilities for routine checkups.

    Dr Catherine Amofa emphasised that conditions such as hypertension pose a significant risk, silently leading to various complications like organ failure. Consequently, she stressed the importance of regular check-ups to address this potential threat.

    During a health screening event aimed at promoting awareness of hypertension, hepatitis B, and diabetes, Dr Amofa provided the advice to attendees. The event was organised by St. Michael’s Specialist Hospital, and Dr Amofa shared her insights on the importance of regular check-ups during the occasion.

    She elaborated on the potential consequences of hypertension, highlighting that hypertension can affect vital organs such as the brain, leading to stroke, the heart, leading to heart failure, and the kidneys, resulting in kidney failure.

    “It can even give you neuropathic diseases that involve the nerves and blood vessels. It can also even go as far to destroy your eyesight,” she added.  

    Dr Amofah, hypertension is relatively common among individuals of African descent, including Africans. However, based on the screenings conducted, it was revealed that sedentary lifestyles, poor dietary habits, and inadequate rest were significant contributing factors to the development of hypertension.

    She, therefore, encouraged the citizenry to watch their diet, exercise regularly, rest adequately and hydrate properly.  

    “The Ghanaian diet is tailored in such a way that if you do not take care, you will hardly have a balanced meal, and the fats and oils as well as salt contents of most of our foods as stable foods are actually quite high.  

    “You do not have to join a gym to exercise. Just a little bit of cardio a few minutes a day makes quite a difference,” the General Practitioner stated.  

    She said about 50 per cent of the patients who had been screened had hypertension whilst 50 per cent tested positive for Hepatitis B.  

    Dr Richard Anongura, a Medical Officer at St Michael’s Specialist Hospital, said the screening exercise was to raise awareness about the common chronic diseases that people ignored.  

    He said Hypertension, Diabetes, Obesity and Hepatitis B were endemic among the populace, therefore,  highlighting and raising awareness and providing free screening were important.  

    Dr Anongura said that over 200 people were screened yesterday and some were referred for further checks.  

    He said the Hospital would offer free consultation in July for all Ghanaians who would walk to the facility.  

    Dr Lilian Mpabanti, Acting Medical Director of the Hospital, commended the Health Facility Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), the Okaikwei Central Member of Parliament and the Okaikwei North Assembly for their enormous support of the Hospital. 

  • Over 26% of Ghanaians have hypertension – IMaH Cardiologist

    Over 26% of Ghanaians have hypertension – IMaH Cardiologist

    A cardiologist at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) in Tema, Dr. Aba Folson, has revealed that approximately 26.1 percent of the adult population in the country is experiencing blood pressure levels that are not within the recommended range.

    Dr. Folson added that over 50 per cent of people known to have hypertension were not controlled and stressed.

    She noted that most hypertension patients fall under the primary or essential category, which usually occured because of lifestyle practices.

    Dr. Folson said this at the weekly “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility! A Ghana News Agency initiative aimed at promoting health-related communication and providing a platform for health information dissemination to influence personal health choices through improved health literacy.

    Dr. Folson, speaking on the topic “Measure blood pressure accurately, control it, and live longer,” stressed that high blood pressure usually developed due to unhealthy lifestyle choices.

    An unhealthy lifestyle choices includes lack of physical activity and health conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

    The IMaH Cardiologist said hypertension could be prevented or managed through healthy living and continuous check-ups at health facilities.

    Dr. Folson reminded the public that uncontrolled hypertension had a higher risk of causing damage to every organ in the body, including the heart, brain, feet, lever, and eyes, among others.

    She, therefore, advised patients to make a conscious effort to control their blood pressure by following the instructions of the doctors and taking their medications, as well as following healthy lifestyles such as exercising, having regular check-ups, eating fruits and vegetables, avoiding excessive consumption of salt and meat, avoiding smoking, and many others.

    She said a consistent blood pressure above 140/90 was a cause for concern as that could be diagnosed as hypertension, explaining that the upper reading represents when the heart was pumping blood while the lower measure is for when the heart was relaxing.

    She encouraged the public to buy their own automated BP machines or regularly check at pharmacies or hospitals to always be within the accepted rate.

    She said issues related to hypertension must be of great concern to all as it is the most influential disease all over the world, adding that it also had a lot of long-term effects on the body.

    Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency Tema, explained that “Your Health! Our Collective Responsibility” is part of a collaborative effort to disseminate health information to the public.

    He said existing evidence indicated that mass media efforts to improve public health could help increase awareness of a health problem, raise the level of information about health topics, and make a health topic or problem more salient, thereby sensitizing the public.

    Mr. Ameyibor, therefore, called on both the traditional and social media managers to devote some time to engage health professionals to educate the public, saying that “the education we offer today through our media platforms may save a life tomorrow.”

  • Male erectile dysfunction can be triggered by hypertension – Dr Benjamin Toboh

    Male erectile dysfunction can be triggered by hypertension – Dr Benjamin Toboh

    Physician Specialist and Cardiology Fellow in Training with the 37 Military Hospital, Wg Cdr Dr Benjamin Toboh has stated that “uncontrolled hypertension when not checked can weaken a person’s penis over time”.

    Speaking to the media on Sunday hypertension is a chronic condition of elevated blood pressure, and when a person’s pressure is higher above a certain cut-off point (140/90), then that person is considered hypertensive.

    Enumerating other risk factors that cause hypertension, Dr. Toboh said biologically, all males are at a higher risk of developing hypertension.

    More so, hypertension is common in male black persons.

    “Advancing in age can also trigger hypertension. As we grow older, our pressures tend to increase over time. Other people who also have a genetic predisposition to hypertension, familiar traits, family history, and obesity are at a higher risk of being hypertensive,” Dr. Toboh mentioned.

    He, therefore, advised all people to undergo regular checkups for increased or decreased blood pressure.

    Explaining how hypertension can cause erectile dysfunction in men, Dr Toboh disclosed that some of the medication for hypertension treatment have the tendency to relax the vessels that allow free pumping of blood into the penis, affecting its erection.

    He also discouraged males with high blood pressure from taking sexual performance pills as it can lead to other blood pressure-related complications.

    “Most orthodox medications have gone through rigorous testing. These ones that are off-label prescriptions for enhancing male potency, their measurements are not quantifiable and so people take them and they land in trouble,” Dr. Toboh stated.

    He was however emphatic that, not all the blood pressure medications cause erectile dysfunctions.

    “Some of the hypertension medications do not have an impact on erectile functioning for males. Speak to your health provider if you have issues with previous medications that caused erectile dysfunctions and it will be changed”, he advised.

  • Over 620,000 hypertension and 24,000 stroke cases recorded as of Dec. 2022

    Over 620,000 hypertension and 24,000 stroke cases recorded as of Dec. 2022

    The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced that it recorded a total of 622,849 hypertension and 24,781 stroke cases through the District Health Information Management System–2, a database for storing health service data, as of December 2022.

    These cases together with complications were reported by all 16 regions of Ghana.

    On its Twitter page, the GHS noted that studies estimate that 28-40% of the adult Ghanaian population have hypertension.

    Hypertension (high blood pressure) is when the pressure in your blood vessels is too high (140/90 mmHg or higher). It is common but can be serious if not treated, according to the World Health Organisation.

    The GHS observes that lifestyle changes such as eating healthier diets (diet with low salts, sugars, and fats; high fibre, fruits and vegetables), increasing physical activity and quitting tobacco use can help to prevent hypertension or lower blood pressure in persons already diagnosed.

    The sensitisation by the GHS forms part of efforts to commemorate World Hypertension Day which is held on May 17 annually. The theme for this year was: “Measure your blood pressure accurately, control it, live longer.”

    Symptoms

    Most people with hypertension don’t feel any symptoms. Very high blood pressures can cause headaches, blurred vision, chest pain and other symptoms. 

    Checking your blood pressure is the best way to know if you have high blood pressure. If hypertension isn’t treated, it can cause other health conditions like kidney disease, heart disease and stroke.

    People with very high blood pressure (usually 180/120 or higher) can experience symptoms including:

    • severe headaches
    • chest pain
    • dizziness
    • difficulty breathing
    • nausea
    • vomiting
    • blurred vision or other vision changes
    • anxiety
    • confusion
    • buzzing in the ears
    • nosebleeds
    • abnormal heart rhythm

    Key facts

    WHO reports that an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide have hypertension, most (two-thirds) living in low- and middle-income countries

    Also, an estimated 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition.

    Less than half of adults (42%) with hypertension are diagnosed and treated aqnd approximately 1 in 5 adults (21%) with hypertension have it under control.

    Per the WHO, hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.

    One of the global targets for noncommunicable diseases is to reduce the prevalence of hypertension by 33% between 2010 and 2030, the WHO adds.

  • Stroke on the rise among the youth – GHS

    Stroke on the rise among the youth – GHS

    The interim Programme Manager of the Ghana Health Service’s (GHS) Non-Communicable Diseases, Dr Efua Commeh, has disclosed that the country is seeing an increase in stroke cases among young individuals under age 40.

    The stroke cases, she said, were triggered by uncontrolled hypertension that had become common in young people in the country recently.

    Dr. Commeh said although stroke cases were previously recorded mainly in people between 80 and 90 years old, local hospitals were now recording them in people as young as 35 years and 40-year-olds, most of them resulting from uncontrolled hypertension.

    “These strokes that originally we used to see in very aged people are now occurring in the productive work group; people who are actively working,” she said.

    “They bring them to the hospital and they say nothing happened and the person collapsed. You check them and they have hypertension. It is this hypertension that gives them complications like stroke, heart attacks, and kidney diseases, among others,” she added.

    Describing hypertension as a very serious health problem in the country now, Dr. Commeh said the hospitals kept seeing more young people, sometimes in their 20s, reporting to health facilities with hypertension, adding, however, that those numbers were not as huge as the older age groups.

    She said averagely, the country recorded around 600,000 cases of hospital visits every year by people with hypertension.

    She was speaking in an interview ahead of World Hypertension Day which will be observed on May 17, on the theme: “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer”.

    Stroke causes

    Dr. Commeh said stress was chiefly responsible for the recent stroke cases among young people in the country, adding that most young people in Ghana were stressed out.

    “(For) Some of them, it is pressure from school, pressure from work, pressure from the home and pressure everywhere; and on top of these stresses, closing quite late from work and getting home late before eating in the night.

    At that time of the night, you are not going to get any appropriate food to eat.

    You end up taking fast foods, and these, among others, contribute to making us unhealthy, and they are the things that can give us hypertension,” she explained.

    She said unhealthy diets, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and physical inactivity, or the lack of exercise were other causes of stroke among young people, pointing out that such conditions were contributory factors that raised blood pressure which could develop into hypertension.

    “Hypertension is said to be a silent killer.

    It is called silent because when it starts rising, you don’t notice anything.

    The first thing you know is you have a severe headache and then the person collapses, and by that time, it would have gotten a bit too late,” she said.

    Unfortunately, she said, most people in the country, including young people, hardly checked their blood pressure, adding that for most people, the first time their blood pressure was checked was after they had collapsed and had been rushed to hospital.

    Preventing hypertension

    Dr Commeh advised young people to have enough rest, pay attention to their diet and reduce fried foods, fats, and oils, as well as salts and sugars to avoid getting hypertension.

    She also recommended that they should take small walks in and around their offices after sitting behind their desks for two hours, climb office stairs once or twice a day, and eat more fruits and vegetables.

    She urged corporate organizations to undertake proper medical screening for their staff at least once a year.

    “Test for fats, blood sugar, urine function, and blood pressure.

    That routine screening will help us so that if there is something going wrong, it can easily be picked up and managed,” she said.

    She advised young people already diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension to take their medication, explaining that hypertension and diabetes could result in problems, including erectile dysfunction and reproductive problems when left uncontrolled.

    Dr. Commeh advised the public to walk to a pharmacy or any clinic to regularly have their blood pressure checked, at least once a month, and to get conditions controlled if they were diagnosed with any, in order that they might live healthier and longer.

  • Over 200 residents of Ga Mashie benefit from free health screening

    Portable Practical Educational Preparation(PPEP), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that focuses on health care education has embarked on a free health screening exercise for residents of Ga Mashie in central Accra. More than 200 residents benefited from it.

    The beneficiaries were screened for hypertension, diabetes and other health conditions by a medical team from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

    Some of the beneficiaries who were diagnosed of various conditions were counselled and referred to health facilities for further medical care.

    Quality health care 

    The Project Co-ordinator of PPEP, Anita Annan, told the Daily Graphic that the exercise was part of efforts to ensure quality healthcare delivery in the area.

    “Our NGO has been organising health outreach programmes to educate people nationwide on the prevention of diabetes and hypertension on a daily basis to help the public to improve on their wellbeing,” she said.

    Mrs Annan noted that many people did not undertake regular check-ups due to funds and resources, for which reason the foundation and its partner  conducted the screening exercise to offer access to free medical treatment from specialists.

    She, however, advised the public to regularly visit health facilities for check-ups to improve on their health.

    Diabetics

    The matron of the Korle-Bu Diabetic Centre, Eunice Boafo, said reported cases of diabetes were on the increase at the centre.

    “About 70 to 80 people, aged between 40 and 60, report daily at the centre with diabetes,” she stated.

    She said about 80 per cent of the residents within Ga Mashie who were screened showed symptoms of hypertension.

    She, therefore, advised the public to adopt healthy lifestyles by exercising and eating balanced diets.

    The Country Director of the NGO, Edem Walter, said they had undertaken several development projects in some needy communities nationwide.