Check your blood pressure regularly
A consultant nephrologist at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Dwomoah Adu, has underscored the need for regular checks of blood pressure, for people to know their blood pressure levels and also decrease the risk of developing complications associated with hypertension.
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According to him, most people who have high blood pressure or hypertension do not show any symptoms until it gets to a serious state where there is heart and kidney failure or stroke.
Speaking at the launch of a fixed-dose combination therapy of irbesartan and amlodipine for the treatment of hypertension by Sanofi, a global health care provider, Dr Adu, who is a specialist in kidney care and treating diseases of the kidneys, said “we know that one-third of Ghanaian adults have high blood pressure, but there are no symptoms contrary to what people think, and, therefore, most people will not discover it until they come to the hospital with heart failure, kidney failure or a stroke.
So you have to check your blood pressure regularly”. He said it was necessary to have blood pressure checks as early as in the mid 20s, so that those with high blood pressure would be advised to modify their lifestyle.
Silent killer
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure or arterial hypertension, is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. In Ghana, it is estimated that about 28.3 per cent of the urban population of adults aged 18 to 65 may have hypertension.
The disease is described by medical officers as a ‘silent killer’ because it usually does not cause symptoms initially, but sustained hypertension over time poses a major risk factor for conditions such as heart attack, heart failure, loss of vision and kidney failure.
According to doctors, dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of health complications, while treatment with medication is still necessary for people for whom lifestyle changes are not enough or not effective.
Sanofi’s role
Sanofi, which is a global healthcare provider, has subsequently launched its fixed-dose combination therapy of irbesartan and amlodipine in the Ghanaian market for the management of hypertension.
The drug, according to the General Manager, Sanofi Nigeria-Ghana, Mr Abderrahamane Chakibi, has proven beneficial to cardiovascular and renal protection.
He added that with the introduction of the combination for the treatment of hypertension, the company was reinforcing its sustained commitment to health care through the provision of affordable medicines that were tailored to the needs of patients.
“By introducing a new hypertensive treatment, Sanofi demonstrates its commitment to patients through improving access to high quality solutions in the field of hypertension management in Ghana.
The introduction is another example of Sanofi’s engagement to always provide advanced and innovative treatments in response to patients’ specific needs with the highest efficacy and comfort. This unique combination is the result of years of development, clinical studies and safety proofing,” he said.