AS Nigeria joined the
rest of the world to
mark this year’s
WorldHealth Day on
April 7, with the theme
“High Blood Pressure”,
the Pharmaceutical
Society of Nigeria, PSN,
cautioned against
unrestrained
consumption of foods
such as noodles which
are high in salt
content,and drugs such
as paracetamol that
contain sodium, as a
way of effectively
addressing risk factors
for raised blood
pressure or
hypertension.
Giving the warning in a
statement to mark the
Day in Lagos, President,
PSN, Pharm. Olumide
Akintayo said: “The risk
of developing high
blood pressure can be
reduced by reducing salt
intake, eating a
balanced diet, avoiding
harmful use of alcohol,
taking regular physical
activity, maintaining a
healthy body weight,
and avoiding tobacco
use.”
Akintayo observed that,
just like in advanced
countries, reduction of
hypertension in the
Nigerian population can
only be effected
through strong public
health policies such as
reduction of salt in
processed food and
widely available
diagnosis and treatment
that tackle hypertension
and other risk factors
together.
His words: “The
Pharmaceutical Society
of Nigeria, PSN,
admonishes the
consuming public on
dietary patterns which is
critical in hypertension.
Some popular diets like
some brands of noodles
accountfor 61 percent
of daily salt requirement
in the smallest packs.
“Newly promoted
brands of soluble
paracetamol with about
450mg ofsodium per
tablet which transcends
2.7g daily when six tabs
are taken a day will be
inimical to the health of
hypertensives and so
call for caution,”
Akintayo said.
Calling for improved
awareness on the
causes and
consequences of
hypertension in line
with goals of the World
Health Day 2013, which
is “greater awareness,
healthy behaviours,
improved detection, and
enabling
environments”, he
argued that the right
systems and services
should be in place to
promote universal
health coverage and
support healthy lifestyles
within the Nigerian
populace.
“Access to good quality
medicines, which are
effective and
inexpensive, is also vital,
particularly at the
primary care level.
Aswith other non-
communicable
diseases,awareness aids
early detectionwhile
self-care helps ensure
regular intake of
medication, healthy
behaviours and better
control of the condition.
Uncontrolled risk factors
“Many can point to
examples of joint action
– across sectors – that is
effectively addressing
risk factors for raised
blood pressure. In
contrast, many
developing countries are
seeing growing numbers
of people who suffer
from heart attacks and
strokes due to
undiagnosed and
uncontrolled risk factors
such as hypertension.
“The risk of developing
these complications is
higher in the presence
of other cardiovascular
risk factors such as
diabetes. However, high
blood pressure is both
preventable and
treatable. Doing so is far
lesscostly, and far safer
for patients, than
interventions like
cardiac bypass surgery
and dialysis that may be
needed when
hypertension is missed
and goes untreated.”
On the role of
pharmacists in
hypertension, Akintayo
noted that as the most
accessible healthcare
professionals in a
community, pharmacists
can verify and improve
the patients’ knowledge
about necessary lifestyle
modifications and use of
medicines and improve
adherence to therapy.
“Pharmaceutical care of
hypertensive patients by
pharmacists has been
demonstrated to
significantly improve
adherence to
antihypertensive therapy
thereby improving
blood pressure control.”
Hypertension as a silent,
invisible killer that rarely
causes symptoms, but
increases the risk of
heart attacks, strokes,
kidney failure and one
which left uncontrolled,
can also cause
blindness, irregularities
of the heartbeat and
heart failure.
Blood pressure
measurement of
140/90mmHg and
above is regarded as
high. Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/pharmacists-caution-against-high-consumption-of-noodles-paracetamol/ |
