48.3 % of Lagos residents have moderate-to-severely high blood pressure
By A silent epidemic of hypertension may be ongoing in Nigeria, with a study indicating that 48.3 per cent adults in Lagos have moderate-to-severely elevated blood pressure.
In a new study, researchers found that blood pressure was elevated in 35.6 per cent of the study population with 48.3 per cent of those having moderate-to-severely elevated blood pressure.
In addition, between 11 per cent and 20 per cent of individuals aged 18 to 29 years had elevated blood pressure, with the proportion being much higher among males than females.
Furthermore, the prevalence of elevated BP was high among younger individuals with rates of between 20 per cent and 30 per cent among men aged 18 to 29 years.
In Nigeria, hypertension is the single most common risk factor for stroke, chronic kidney disease, and heart failure among adult Nigerians and estimates of its prevalence are as high as 47 per cent.
Studies have consistently shown that adequate and sustained blood pressure reduction reduces the risk of these adverse events. Unfortunately, large proportions of individuals with hypertension remain undiagnosed, and even among those diagnosed, blood pressure control is suboptimal in a significant proportion.
The prevalence of hypertension varies within populations and it is affected by factors such as race, age, gender and locality. Compared to whites, hypertension in blacks is more prevalent, more severe, has an onset earlier in life, and is linked to a higher burden of target organ damage.
The 2018 study published in the Nigerian Journal of General Practitioners, involved Bello BT; Raji YR; Amira CO; Braimoh RW; Olowoyo OO; and Akodu BA.
For the study, the researchers analysed the blood pressure readings of 1061 participants in population screenings carried out in five local government areas between March 2015 and March 2017 within the Lagos metropolitan area. These are Mushin, Surulere, Kosofe, Ifako-Ijaiye, and Lagos Mainland.
The study population was made up of 54.5 per cent females with an overall mean age of 39.2 years and a range of 18 to 84 years. The average systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased significantly and progressively with age in both male and female participants.
Overall, the proportion of individuals with elevated BP increased progressively with age till about 70 years of age and thereafter declined slightly.
However, the proportion of female participants with elevated BP lagged behind that of males up till about age 40 years before catching up and surpassing it somewhat.
Although there was no gender difference in prevalence of elevated blood pressure, the researchers stated that there is the need for increased public health awareness campaigns focused on prevention, early detection, and prompt treatment of hypertension.
According to them, widespread, population-based health education and screening programmes are urgently needed if we are to avert an epidemic of hypertension-related complications.
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