NewStats: 3,262,573 , 8,177,549 topics. Date: Monday, 02 June 2025 at 07:40 PM 1a443k

By Ojoma Akor

The number of young adults suffering from high blood pressure, also known as hypertension in Nigeria, is rising by the day, findings by Weekend Trust has revealed.

Often thought to be a disease of older adults or the elderly, studies have shown that younger adults within the ages of 18 to 45 years are increasingly coming down with high blood pressure in the country.

This has led to growing concerns, as some studies have shown that the prevalence rate of hypertension among young adults in Nigeria is as high as 21.3 per cent in some areas.

Also, some of those affected are students of secondary and tertiary institutions who have a hard time coping with the rising cost of medications.

Already in Nigeria, hypertension is a leading cause of death and illness among the elderly.

Experts say the risk of developing hypertensive cardiovascular complications is greater in younger than older individuals.

They said the presence of hypertension at a young age increased the risk of cardiovascular events at middle age. It contributes to an earlier onset of coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and transient ischaemic attacks.

High blood pressure occurs when the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is consistently too high.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), your blood pressure is high when you have consistent systolic readings of 140 mm Hg or higher, or diastolic readings of 90 mm Hg or higher.

Prof Augustine Odili, the president of the Nigerian Cardiac Society and chairman of the Africa Regional Advisory Group for the International Society of Hypertension, explained it thus: “Measurement of blood pressure is written in two values. The one written on top is the systolic and the one below is the diastolic. So if your systolic blood pressure is above 140 and the diastolic blood pressure is above 90, you are said to have hypertension.”

Most cases of hypertension are asymptomatic; that is why it has been dubbed the ‘silent killer’.

Patients speak

When Hassan, 23, fell ill last year, he least expected to get a diagnosis of high blood pressure. However, after tests and four-day ission, he has been on a daily dose of high blood pressure medicine since then.

He said he was extremely shocked, even though his mother was hypertensive.

"My mother was diagnosed in her 50s, so I thought I was too young to suffer from it. I always thought it was only people in their 50s and 60s and above that suffer from high blood pressure,” he said.

Hassan, who wants to be known only with his first name, said he had made some lifestyle changes, including trying to get some rest from his busy work schedule at an information and communication technology (ICT) firm.

He added that he disliked taking drugs, even occasionally, but now, he has to make extra efforts to take his pills daily.

Aderibigbe Bisi, 56, a mother of five, said she got the shock of her life when her 19-year-old son, an undergraduate, was diagnosed of high blood pressure.

She and her husband do not suffer from the condition, but some persons from her maternal family have it, although as older adults.

“He has been receiving treatment and hoping that it would get better with time and not be on a lifelong medication from this age.

“He is one of the best students in his school; and he is always studying. But his siblings that eat too don’t have the condition,” she added.

Mark Yakubu (not his real names), a 34-year-old journalist, has been on high blood pressure drugs for four years. He recalled that he was always having persistent headache in the mornings before he went to the hospital.

“I always thought it was the stress of my job,” he said. But when he finally went to the hospital after he fell very ill, his blood pressure read 180. He also had malaria then. He was itted and had to take sometime off work to recover

He said he had been on high blood pressure drug since then.

Julia, 30, a stroke survivor, said she suffered the attack at the age of 28. Before then, each time she measured her blood pressure, it was always high. But no one placed her on drugs; and she also took it lightly.

She recalled that she was also having a lot of challenges and stress meeting up with her family’s needs as.

Then one night, she suddenly couldn’t move her body, so she was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with stroke. She spent over a month in the hospital before she was discharged.

Today, while she is better, she said if a doctor had placed her on medication earlier, she may not have developed stroke.

https://dailytrust.com/world-hypertension-day-young-nigerians-under-burden-of-hypertension/

The hardship alone in Nigeria can cause hypertension...

Goldbw122:
The hardship alone in Nigeria can cause hypertension...

A lot of people are hypertensive without knowing. Early detection helps a lot.

I know two people who died as a result of cardiac arrest last year, one was in self denial of being hypertensive and died another could not afford her drugs and died afterwards.

na only God go deliver everyone of us

Werin dem Dey THINK? Too much everything no good.

kids From AGES 18 to 35 has no business with that Shit.. only if dem dey chase GLE from such tender age, if it's not hereditary they have no business with BP

ChybuzzDD:


Why do you always write like someone on On-colos, despite living in thd UK

We definitely using same PLUG na Farooq or lati
@ bolded in ur write up.. e fit be anyone.

What an unbridged situation

What an unabridged situation

When you graduate and see people that graduated 10 years ago still jobless, why you no go get high BP..

Good save us all oo.

In Lagos State, If you live on the mainland and have your office on the island and drive yourself everyday to work e.g Iyana Ipaja to VI, Check your BP, it will definitely not be normal.

Work related stress alone in Lagos State is a major contributory factor in BP in Lagos State.

No thanks to the crippled vagabond at Aso Rock and his ers

We consume too much salt and maggi

Hummm .....

How do We Survive?
This Can Cause Hypertension

ednut1:
We consume too much salt and maggi

true 😞

High blood pressure should have no business with young people.

When you put yourself through so much peer pressure, this is the result.

Someone I know just got hypertensive due to wedding preparation 🤦🤷

Men, make we dey rest. Those evil spirits can get hypertension but not heart attack.
Na Men dey get heart attack 👌🤦🤷☹️

Nigerians are weary of what the future hold for them where only the children of well connected people are guaranteed a job good enough to feed and cloth themselves. Young adults who are married soon found out they were not ready even at age 40 and above despite all they have laboured to acquire since working. I don't know if government can lead Nigerians to the point where growing up will become interesting and thought of marriage no longer comes with fear of ability to cope. These are some of the reasons for high blood pressure.

Steady physical activities and workouts, nothing extreme, natural, healthy affordable diet in reasonable portions, fruits and veggies and most importantly relax and create time for meditation plus go traditional with herbs foods and veggies that combat hypertension... Lots of them

Gone are the days wen BP or hypertension is a health situation of people in their mid 50s to 80s/90s. Now lots of young ones in their early 40s, 30s and even 20s have it. Is it modern day lifestyle? Social media expectation? Work Pressure ? The processed chemicalized food we eat instead of natural food consumed by our fathers and granfathers.


No wonder issues of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation is also common among young folks today. Our fathers and grandfathers were very potent sexually. They eat Natural foods instead of sugary foods we consume these days

BAT Is making the young hypertensive

The government of the day is killing Nigerians like fowl. My boss once said that he went to Cameroun and found out that people an their families were less stressed as compared to Nigeria.

This country stresses up people to the point that if you're not careful, you fall into serious depression. Yet all they know is decamping and defection. E no better for PDAPC and their cohort for this life.

I stopped stressing myself unnecessarily.

No be small thing

Hypertension has increased since tpain came onboard


it's quite a shame

We all need to watch our mental health

hmm

Goldbw122:
The hardship alone in Nigeria can cause hypertension...

mayor1814:
Gone are the days wen BP or hypertension is a health situation of people in their mid 50s to 80s/90s. Now lots of young ones in their early 40s, 30s and even 20s have it. Is it modern day lifestyle? Social media expectation? Work Pressure ? The processed chemicalized food we eat instead of natural food consumed by our fathers and granfathers.


No wonder issues of erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation is also common among young folks today. Our fathers and grandfathers were very potent sexually. They eat Natural foods instead of sugary foods we consume these days

Thats why its good to have your med check-ups weekly.
If you are a chess player here i greet you.

The food we consume which is often packed with sodium and lack of regular exercise is another reason.
An average Nigeria enjoys eating bread with cola, Fanta or other sugary drinks.Having bread with just water is impossible for many.The drugs are helping but lifestyle changes is key.

Fareke:

https://dailytrust.com/world-hypertension-day-young-nigerians-under-burden-of-hypertension/

wrote my final paper today. I am doing my masters in Public Health. All the answers to the questions I gave had hypertension in it. Whether it wasn't related. I choose it as my way to celebrate World Hypertension Day. If I no do well for the exams , we do it again next year. Na celebration I do no be person I kill.

Terrorism is giving Nigetians hypertension