Uncontrolled blood pressure, low blood sugar, malaria can cause slumping to death –Cardiologist
A heart care specialist, Dr. John Asekhame, has urged Nigerians to embrace regular health checks to reduce the increasing incidence of slumping and dying.
According to Asekhame, most cases of a sudden slump are not related to witchcraft or supernatural causes, but rather linked to undiagnosed and untreated cases of cardiac and non-cardiac health conditions.
Dr. Asekhame, a Consultant Physician and Cardiologist with Providence Multi-Specialty Hospital, Abuja, said, uncontrolled blood pressure, malaria, low blood sugar, and excessive dehydration can cause a person to suddenly slump.
Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise in an interview, the cardiologist urged Nigerians to embrace the culture of regular health checks, stressing that it is imperative to ensure one’s blood pressure is within the normal range at all times.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, a normal blood pressure range is less than 120/80 mmHg.
Uncontrolled blood pressure, according to Asekhame, can cause health problems like stroke and cardiac complications anytime without giving a sign.
The physician admonished Nigerians to embrace the culture of going to pharmacies and hospitals to check their blood pressure and get proper treatment if it is high.
He said, “Simple things that can cause a someone to slump. It could be cardiac or non-cardiac causes.
“For instance, excessive dehydration, excessive heatstroke, and low blood sugar could cause a patient to collapse. Malaria can also cause a slump. Those are non-cardiac causes.
“For the cardiac causes, the patient could have an arrhythmia, where the heart just beats abnormally and very fast. That can cause a patient to collapse.
“Sudden rise in blood pressure and complications of uncontrolled blood pressure such as stroke can cause a person to collapse.
“Also, a heart attack and cardiac arrest can cause someone to slump in addition to non-cardiac things that I have mentioned.”
He noted that the reason hypertension is called a silent killer is because it does not give any sign in most people until it causes problems like stroke and cardiac complications.
To prevent these complications, the cardiologist stressed that Nigerians should regularly check their blood pressure.
He said, “Nigerians having palpitations, some form of dizziness and blackout should go and see their doctor.
“If you notice that your blood pressure is not controlled with or without medication, it is a cause for you to see your doctor.
“In this time that we are in, all Nigerians should regularly go to the chemist, pharmacy, and hospital to check their blood pressure to be sure that it is within the normal range.
“This is because a lot of people are walking around as time bombs with very high and dangerous blood pressure.
“People should not depend on symptoms they usually associate with elevated blood pressure before going for medical check because if something bad is about to happen, there may be no symptoms.”
Dr.Asekhame also urged employers to encourage their employees to go for regular blood pressure checks.
According to the American Heart Association, a heart-stopping condition that causes about half of all cardiovascular-related deaths seems to happen in an instant, with no symptoms.
It, however, said several recent studies show that, sometimes, people who experience sudden cardiac arrest have warning signs hours – and even weeks – ahead of time.
“Sudden cardiac arrest happens when an electrical disturbance in the heart causes it to stop abruptly, halting the flow of blood to the brain and vital organs. Death can follow within minutes if the heart rhythm is not restored with an electrical shock.
“About a quarter of cardiac arrest patients treated by emergency medical workers don’t experience symptoms,” AHA said.
