Goodafternoon dear colleagues and greetings from the Department of Medicine .
Today,we shall be looking at two major conditions that are common to men especially,the middle aged men and elderly as a result of life style modifications (westernization).
(A) Hypertension
(B) Ischaemic heart disease.
HYPERTENSION : This is common with the black race as a result of some genetic components that helps in salt retention.
Also,as a man some hormonal components in men also drive the blood pressure which for women it is the reverse, except after menopause.That means for a black young man,his genetic composition,life style and environmental factors can drive his blood pressure.
Hypertension is often referred to as the silent killer,and can exist for decades without clinical manifestations.
The first manifestation can therefore result in complications which sometimes can be irreversible,hence,affecting and modifying the life style, activities and productivity of such individual permanently.
Hypertension is commonly defined as BP of greater than or equals to 140mmHg as systolic or diastolic that is more than or equals to 90mmHg on two different occasions (At least 6hours apart.).
The major complications could result in what is called hypertensive heart disease(arrhythmias,left ventricular hypertrophy,heart failure),stroke, sudden death, increaserisk of myocardial infarction (heart attack),renal failure, retinopathy.
👉🏼Some risk factors include:
Family history
Gender(Males and post menopausal females)
Increase age
High salt intake
Sedentary life style
Lack of exercise
Stress
Obesity
Smoking
Alcohol
Anger etc
👉🏼Clinical features: Most times asymptomatic.
Headache
Palpitations
Fatigue
ETC.
👉🏼PREVENTION:
Majorly,life style modifications by avoiding or reducing the intake of salt and maggic,
Regular exercise
Avoid or reduce alcohol intake .
Weight reduction.
Avoid anger.
Do everything to mitigate and reduce stress.
Ensure regular BP check
Ensure at least 30minutes to 45minutes walk daily (5 times a week)
Ensure weight loss .
👉🏼NB: The honour of a wife is to give the husband a good meal, however,in the setting of the genetic predisposition to hypertension and possible family history,the husband can encourage the wife and appreciate her cooking skills ,then , inform her that one of the keys of living long is to reduce salt intake for the man in the family.If the rice has salt,no need to add salt to stew,avoid using spices,maggi and salt to boil meat,the water used for boiling the meat should not be added to the stew,avoid adding salt to food on the table,do less eating outside and eateries since you cannot control the salt and spices.
THANK YOU ALL!!!
Courtesy: Dr Akinfaderin- SR Cardiology
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