Health conditions you may contend with and medical advice on how to stop them from causing casualty, fatality are laid to bare here by a senior Medical Doctor and Chief Executive Officer, Solomon Jayden Medical Centre, Iju, Nigeria, Doctor Akin Oyejoko, at the Platforms Africa e-Discourse. Excerpts:
How true is it medically that life begins at 40?
Well, I would rather say that care begins at 40.
Once you are 40, you have to be more mindful of your health, what you eat, how you spend your time, what you drink, how often you do your medical check-up?
After 40, life is not as forgiving as it used to be. So, CARE begins at 40.
So, what is so special with age 40 that most conditions come up, especially, High blood pressure?
Well, the body has a system through which it renews itself, and replenishes it strength, old worn-out cells and parts are replaced by new ones similar to how we maintain our cars and generators. This allows the body to absorb and recover from slot of insults and allows us to enjoy our youth. But after 40, this system may not be as efficient as it used to be. As a result, some may cause greater damage. Hence, the need for more care.
What are the other medical issues that people aged 40 and above are likely to contend with?
There are actually several medical issues that may crop up after this age. And one disease may potentate another.
For example, we have cardiovascular diseases such as heart failures, heart disease, blood clot, stroke, others diabetes, osteoporosis, adult-onset asthma. The list is actually a long one. But let me give a case to create the picture in mind.
Imagine a young man at 22, he picks up a job as a journalist. At the beginning he is lower down in the perking order, so he does all the running around and exercise a lot. 20 years later, he is the editor and he is even busier, but he does most of his job sitting down — Sedentary life style. He doesn’t eat on time because he has a lot to do-peptic ulcer. He eats out because he spends more time in the office than the home- junks and high cholesterol. He doesn’t have time to check his sugar and may have a family history of high sugar – diabetes. He doesn’t exercise – osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). She is 42- menopause. And the accompanying hormonal fluctuations.
He has several people working directly or indirectly under him and deadlines to meet up with-hypertension. He doesn’t rest well – exhaustion
She does not do her cancer screening because there is just no time, she is responsible for too many things – breast cancer and cervical cancer. Let me pause here for the sake of our time.
We will concentrate on hypertension and hypotension for today? Any major difference between the two?
Hypertension. The BP is too high. For Hypotension, the blood pressure is too low.
Both have to do with the proper or improper functioning of the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and blood vessels
Doc, what about hypotension?
In hypotension, the blood pressure is too low, so enough blood, oxygen and nutrients does not get to vital organs and the body as a whole.
What makes them major health concerns for those suffering from them?
To start with, anything that affects the heart and other vital organs is serious. Secondly, this disease is progressive. Thirdly, this disease opens the door for other conditions. Makes others conditions difficult to treat. Remember that most drugs we take are metabolised by the kidney, liver and lungs. So when this organs have been damaged by hypertension, it becomes difficult to treat even other conditions. Thirdly whatever affects the blood affects all body
Recent newspaper reports show that people below 40 also suffer the two. What is the rate of these medical conditions in Africa or among the blacks?
From clinical experience and available data, younger people also have hypertension and related diseases but the rate is usually low. It’s usually congenital, that is that person was born with an in born error somewhere. Or acquired, from damage to the kidneys, lungs, liver or heart. These could be from disease, accidents but majorly from drugs and substance abuse
Do local concoctions (l hear in Nigeria you call it Agbo) cure high blood pressure?
My answer would be NO. I sincerely wish I could say yes because I am an African, but the truth is experience has shown that those local concoction do more harm than good. Someone introduced me to some and l refused and he called me names. My assumption is that our people were able to attempt to cure diseases they are aware of.
Pls what are the symptoms to watch out for, for these two? And secondly, what can one do to guide against falling a victim of the two (prevention)?
There was no way they could have tested for blood pressure; hence how could they measure the efficacy of their cure?
Pls what are the symptoms to watch out for, for these two? And secondly, what can one do to guide against falling a victim of the two (prevention)?
These diseases can be a little difficult to diagnose without regular check-ups.
Little is said in these parts about low blood pressure. What are the symptoms?
The symptoms include headache, blurring vision, palpitations, weakness, confusion and weakness of part of the body. These are for high blood pressure. For low blood pressure, symptoms include, weakness, tiredness, loss of concentration, dizziness.
Not many people in Africa know their family medical history. I say this because some of these health challenges are hereditary but could be made worse by unhealthy lifestyle. What’s your take on this?
It is believed that the African kidney is not as effective in managing excess salt like Caucasian kidney. Unfortunately, the African meal normally contain more salt. Then dehydration and heat make the job of the kidneys difficult, But Africa is very hot or may be very hot at times
Do we then say that Africans are victims of their environment?
Well sir, what should the Arabs say then? Hypotension clinically tends to be more dangerous. But it is not as common as hypertension
So, with the information available to the medical profession, what can be done about local concoction that obviously do nothing?
I think, for now, people should stay away from local concoction. And I think the government should set a minimum standard for herbs and concoction. There should be research into classifying, purifying and packaging these drugs. Our biggest problem is superstition and uncontrolled information.
