One out of every few Ugandans suffer from high blood pressure today. High blood pressure is a condition in which the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems.
Dr Wilson Nyakoojo, senior consultant cardiologist explains that high blood pressure really affects the heart so much if not controlled.
He says it may affect the organ by making it grow bigger when it is trying to help you not feel the condition so it tries to control your blood flow because of uncontrolled high blood pressure hence the heart can enlarge, becomes bigger.
When it becomes bigger, it is no longer the size it supposed to be. Slowly by slowly it grows into heart failure.
According to Dr Wilson, Ugandans are still at the high risks of suffering from heart complications.
He added that smoking, eating roasted meat and consuming a lot of alcohol are some of the factors that can lead to heart complications.
He further explained that heart complications are many but the common ones they encounter at Uganda Heart Institute are coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease is the narrowing of the blood vessels.
he said they could also get patients with rhythm disturbances
“Here in Uganda close to 7000 children with heart disease cannot access treatment,” he said
While making the world heart day on Friday 29th Dr John Omagino, Director of Uganda Heart Institute said the institute is hampered by shortage of resources.
“Right now, the capacity of the institute is able to handle up to 1000 operations in the operating theatre however due to budget constraints, we are only able to channel 600,” Dr John explained.
Dr John said the heart institute has developed capacity in terms of resources but it’s now limited by finance.
On the other hand Dr Wilson Nyakoojo urged People to look for signs and symptoms of heart disease such as heavy pumping of the heart, chest pain to seek early diagnosis that can save their lives.
