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What do we really know about diabetes and hypertension?
The first time I asked myself this question was in my 4th undergraduate year. I was rotating restorative dentistry and was asked to clerk a man in his 50s. On asking about his medical history, he said he was diabetic but that seemed to have been recurring with a number of patients I had been clerking, so I pondered further.
The question came to fore once again recently. At a World Bank event, one of the panelists took a survey of attendees suffering from diabetes and hypertension and the number of respondents was quite appreciable.
Over the years, improvement in medical sciences has improved life expectancy in the world. However, with longevity of life, a new challenge has set in – one involving non-communicable diseases (NCD). By definition, NCDs are medical conditions or diseases that are not caused by infectious agents. The examples are endless, including Cancers, Renal Diseases, Cerebrovascular events, cardiac dysfunction etc. But this article focuses on Diabetes and Hypertension.
Diabetes and Hypertension are some of the most common NCDs in the world today. In Nigeria, the prevalence rate of hypertension is between 30-45% while that of diabetes is 1-7% depending on the setting. However, some of these statistics cannot be trusted as many of these diseases remain undiagnosed in life or death in the country, therefore, it is assumed that it is more than the figures we currently have and is at an increasing rate.
These diseases are multifactorial, they have an interplay of genetic factors and environmental factors. One of the greatest risk factors is age. Although they cannot be completely ruled out in the young, incidence of the diseases increase drastically as we age. So the older we grow, the higher the susceptibility of hypertension and diabetes. So, does this leave us helpless? Definitely Not!
WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?
Eat Healthily
Eating well is one of the best ways to take care of ourselves. We should reduce intake of refined food products and increase intake of natural products in form of fruits and vegetables. Modern diets may give us more value on the social strata but they will also ensure that they give diseases common to the people in that class.
Exercise Regularly: Too much weight isn’t good for anyone. In the words of a respected lecturer: “an overweight man is a problem to himself, to the doctor and the mortuary attendant”. So in order to keep our weight in check and remain physically fit, it’s important to engage in physical exercise. Obesity remains a major risk factor for these two diseases.
Go for Medical Checks
This is essential for people of all ages but becomes more important with increasing age. Sadly, in this part of the world, some diseases go undiagnosed or they are diagnosed on the autopsy table. Hence, it’s advisable to habituate routine medical check-ups.
Be Faithful With Medications and Lifestyle Adjustment
Though lifestyle adjustments are probably the most difficult changes to make, they are compulsory, especially when you have an underlying condition. Be faithful to your drugs for as long as may be instructed.
In conclusion, purchasing a health insurance puts you at an immense advantage. Embrace good health. Embrace life.
- Oluwatola Toluwani, writes from Obafemi Awolowo University
