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- Jul 30, 2008
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Public awareness needed to curb trend - cardiologist
There are increasingly younger Tanzanians being diagnosed with high blood pressure because of the unhealthy lifestyles they lead, medical experts have warned.
The warning was issued over the weekend on the eve of the World Hypertension day (May 17) by Dr Nasiruddin Jamal, Intervention Cardiologist and Director of the Cardiology Programme at Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Dr Jamal warned that high blood pressure is the highway to suffering stroke, heart and kidney diseases.
He explained that the common risk factors include high salt intake, smoking, sedentary (inactivity) and high calorie diets.
"Because of leading unhealthy lifestyles, we are increasingly diagnosing younger Tanzanians with high blood pressure,' he warned.
The Aga Khan Hospital Director of Cardiology Programme also warned that, once the patient develops heart or kidney complications, or suffers stroke, medical treatment after that point becomes considerably expensive, especially for the average Tanzanian.
"So we strongly advocate that prevention is better than cure," he said "...to this effect we encourage regular blood pressure checkups," he added noting that untreated high blood pressure takes a huge toll on the heart in particular.
"When an overtaxed heart is forced to keep up with too much pressure in our arteries, its walls begin to thicken and lose elasticity," he explained.
"Eventually, the heart muscles fail and fluid retention in the legs and lungs can result in high blood pressure which if unchecked, can also cause stroke," added the Director of Cardiology.
Dr Jamal who also performed the first ever therapeutic cardiac catheterisation in the country last year in August, called on all medical stakeholders to partner with the government to offer free BP checkups at accessible points across the country.
"Elsewhere in the world you have free BP check up in supermarkets and other business outlets it allows for early detection before complications are developed," he said.
Sharing her clinical observation, Nimtaz Walji, the Clinical Dietician at Aga Khan Hospital said; "...in my medical experience, I found that in Tanzania we are find patients with high blood pressure as young as in their late 20s and early 30s."
Other than quitting smoking and adopting a more physically active lifestyle along with watching ones calorie intake, the Clinical Dietician explained that a key lifestyle change is reduction of salt intake.
"When you consume a lot of salt, the cells retain more water to dilute the high concentration but when cells retain a lot of fluid they become impaired and do not function properly leading to organ complications," she cautioned.
Reached for comments, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare public relation officer Nsachris Mwamaja admitted that there is need to encourage the public to go for regular medical checkups that is vital for early detection of health complications.
"There is need to raise awareness for wananchi to inculcate the culture of going for regular checkups," he said.
"Our people don't even go for check up when they feel unwell...it is only when they are in pain or can't move that one goes to the hospital," he noted.
However, asked on the need to set up free check up points specifically for blood pressure he was of the opinion that; "we have health centres...they should use those ones."
It should be noted that limited access to health care is one of the major setbacks in promoting health issues in Tanzania. The challenges cited include few and far apart health centres, poor infrastructure to reach those few centres and even fewer medical staff should one manage to reach these centres.
It is in recognition of this limited access to health facilities that Doctor Shiraz Dhanani a Tanzanian Intervention Cardiologist practicing in the capitol of Texas, US who also regularly works at Dar es Salaam's Aga Khan Hospital suggested the need for free Blood Pressure check up points.
"In other countries, one can test their BP level when they go to the mall or to a grocery store to do their daily shopping," he said.
"Now there are automatic portable BP checkup machines that are very affordable and they are accurate and easy to handle," he added.
Doctor Dhanani, currently in the country emphasised to The Guardian that early detection is the key to stopping stroke, heart and kidney diseases among other ailments and checking ones BP is the first and vital step to this end.
As for the matter of the test being done free of charge, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Public relation officer Mwamaja was of the opinion that the cost of BP tests is minimal and affordable to the general public. He however could not offer an average cost amount.
Reached for details, Public Relations Officer at the Muhimbili National Hospital Aminieli Elgaisha confirmed that BP is measured every time a patient goes to the hospital as part of regular procedure.
However, because the cost of measuring ones BP (if any) is included in the total cost of the patient's visit, he too could not offer a specific amount charged to measure ones blood pressure.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
There are increasingly younger Tanzanians being diagnosed with high blood pressure because of the unhealthy lifestyles they lead, medical experts have warned.
The warning was issued over the weekend on the eve of the World Hypertension day (May 17) by Dr Nasiruddin Jamal, Intervention Cardiologist and Director of the Cardiology Programme at Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Guardian, Dr Jamal warned that high blood pressure is the highway to suffering stroke, heart and kidney diseases.
He explained that the common risk factors include high salt intake, smoking, sedentary (inactivity) and high calorie diets.
"Because of leading unhealthy lifestyles, we are increasingly diagnosing younger Tanzanians with high blood pressure,' he warned.
The Aga Khan Hospital Director of Cardiology Programme also warned that, once the patient develops heart or kidney complications, or suffers stroke, medical treatment after that point becomes considerably expensive, especially for the average Tanzanian.
"So we strongly advocate that prevention is better than cure," he said "...to this effect we encourage regular blood pressure checkups," he added noting that untreated high blood pressure takes a huge toll on the heart in particular.
"When an overtaxed heart is forced to keep up with too much pressure in our arteries, its walls begin to thicken and lose elasticity," he explained.
"Eventually, the heart muscles fail and fluid retention in the legs and lungs can result in high blood pressure which if unchecked, can also cause stroke," added the Director of Cardiology.
Dr Jamal who also performed the first ever therapeutic cardiac catheterisation in the country last year in August, called on all medical stakeholders to partner with the government to offer free BP checkups at accessible points across the country.
"Elsewhere in the world you have free BP check up in supermarkets and other business outlets it allows for early detection before complications are developed," he said.
Sharing her clinical observation, Nimtaz Walji, the Clinical Dietician at Aga Khan Hospital said; "...in my medical experience, I found that in Tanzania we are find patients with high blood pressure as young as in their late 20s and early 30s."
Other than quitting smoking and adopting a more physically active lifestyle along with watching ones calorie intake, the Clinical Dietician explained that a key lifestyle change is reduction of salt intake.
"When you consume a lot of salt, the cells retain more water to dilute the high concentration but when cells retain a lot of fluid they become impaired and do not function properly leading to organ complications," she cautioned.
Reached for comments, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare public relation officer Nsachris Mwamaja admitted that there is need to encourage the public to go for regular medical checkups that is vital for early detection of health complications.
"There is need to raise awareness for wananchi to inculcate the culture of going for regular checkups," he said.
"Our people don't even go for check up when they feel unwell...it is only when they are in pain or can't move that one goes to the hospital," he noted.
However, asked on the need to set up free check up points specifically for blood pressure he was of the opinion that; "we have health centres...they should use those ones."
It should be noted that limited access to health care is one of the major setbacks in promoting health issues in Tanzania. The challenges cited include few and far apart health centres, poor infrastructure to reach those few centres and even fewer medical staff should one manage to reach these centres.
It is in recognition of this limited access to health facilities that Doctor Shiraz Dhanani a Tanzanian Intervention Cardiologist practicing in the capitol of Texas, US who also regularly works at Dar es Salaam's Aga Khan Hospital suggested the need for free Blood Pressure check up points.
"In other countries, one can test their BP level when they go to the mall or to a grocery store to do their daily shopping," he said.
"Now there are automatic portable BP checkup machines that are very affordable and they are accurate and easy to handle," he added.
Doctor Dhanani, currently in the country emphasised to The Guardian that early detection is the key to stopping stroke, heart and kidney diseases among other ailments and checking ones BP is the first and vital step to this end.
As for the matter of the test being done free of charge, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Public relation officer Mwamaja was of the opinion that the cost of BP tests is minimal and affordable to the general public. He however could not offer an average cost amount.
Reached for details, Public Relations Officer at the Muhimbili National Hospital Aminieli Elgaisha confirmed that BP is measured every time a patient goes to the hospital as part of regular procedure.
However, because the cost of measuring ones BP (if any) is included in the total cost of the patient's visit, he too could not offer a specific amount charged to measure ones blood pressure.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
