Some advocates against hypertension have bemoaned the increasing rate of the illness in a unique campaign dubbed Life after 30.
Giving preference to maternal hypertension, Pediatric senior nurse at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Gabriel Ganyaglo, disclosed 30% of pregnant women lose their lives at Korle-Bu over untreated high blood pressure.
Dr Ganyaglo further stated that for those whose conditions are not fatal, they suffer effects that include premature or stillbirth, as well as stroke and other post-maternal complications.
Meanwhile, Madam Betty, the founder of Life after 30 initiative also advised all and sundry to visit medical centres for regular check-ups.
Additionally, she educated that proper diagnosis is required for health practitioners to counsel such patients on medication, proper dieting and exercise.
Hypertension, which she said is a cancer to deal with, is the main cause of prevalent stroke, blindness, impotence, kidney failure in persons below the age of 40, adding her organisation is ready to help avert such situations.
One of the Senior Public Health Nurses, Cindy Ofori Appiah, further cleared some misconceptions held by the youth, typically women, on the ailment.
According to her, though people think hypertension is usually suffered by obese and aged people, it is prone to everyone.
She also revealed that most symptoms which people self-diagnose to be malaria could be an alarm of an increasing blood pressure.
She added that people who are fond of smoking, drinking alcohol and energy drinks should drink enough water and have adequate rest to ensure a hypertension-free life.
