Undiagnosed and poorly controlled hypertension is emerging as a major driver of serious cardiovascular complications in Ghana, with increasing numbers of younger people presenting at health facilities with conditions linked to high blood pressure.
Physician Specialist and Cardiology Fellow in training at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Florence Akumiah, said the trend was contributing to the growing burden of heart disease and stroke in the country.
She made the disclosure at a media engagement in Accra on Wednesday, September 30, to mark World Heart Day.
Dr Akumiah said data from the 2023 Ghana WHO STEPS survey, which involved 5,438 adults across all 16 regions, showed that about one in five adults in Ghana had hypertension.
The figure translates to an estimated 3.7 million people living with the condition.
According to her, hypertension was more prevalent among women, with a rate of 25.3 per cent, compared with 18.2 per cent among men. Prevalence also increased with age and was higher among people living in urban areas.
Dr Akumiah, however, said the concern went beyond the number of people living with hypertension, pointing to the significant proportion who were unaware of their condition.
She said some patients only discovered they had high blood pressure after developing serious complications.
The cardiology specialist noted that health facilities were increasingly receiving younger patients with conditions such as stroke, kidney disease and hypertensive emergencies, highlighting the consequences of prolonged or undetected hypertension.
She further said diagnosis alone was not enough, as some people who had already been diagnosed with hypertension were either not receiving treatment or were unable to achieve adequate blood pressure control.
Prolonged exposure to uncontrolled blood pressure, she explained, significantly increases the risk of severe cardiovascular complications.
Dr Akumiah also cited the broader impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on mortality in Ghana.
According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), NCDs account for about 45 per cent of deaths in the country, while cardiovascular diseases alone contribute approximately 18 per cent of total deaths.
She said the figures underscored the need for greater emphasis on prevention, routine screening and early intervention.
Dr Akumiah urged the public to take cardiovascular health seriously by checking their blood pressure regularly and seeking medical attention when abnormalities are detected.
She stressed that early identification and effective management of hypertension could help prevent complications and reduce the number of premature deaths associated with cardiovascular diseases in Ghana.
