Chioma Umeha
Prof Ibrahim Adeola-Katibi, a Cardiologist with
the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) has cautioned Nigerians
against unhealthy lifestyles that could cause heart-attack.
Katibi gave the warnings on Sunday in a paper
titled “Heart Attack: Signs, Symptoms Prevention, Cure and Control” presented
at the ongoing Ramadan Lecture Series in Ilorin.
The lecture series is organised by the Islamic
Missionaries Association of Nigeria (IMAN).
The consultant advised Nigerians to avoid
consumption of junk foods, smoking and alcohol intake to save them from the
ailment.
He charged Nigerians to always undergo periodic
medical checkup to ascertain their health status to guard against complications.
Also speaking, Dr Abdulwasiu Yusuf of UITH
identified the causes of heart-attack to include high cholesterol, diabetes,
hypertension, work stress and obesity, among others.
Yusuf however said heart-attack could be treated
through surgery and medication.
He said the signs and symptoms of heart-attack
included sudden chest pain, usually felt as a heaviness and chest tightening
which might extend to the shoulder, neck and the hand.
According to him it could result in vomiting,
breathing difficulty, cough, dizziness and fainting.
He stressed the need for people to engage in
regular exercise, consumption of healthy natural meals and have enough sleep to
ensure healthy living.
The Provost, College of Health Sciences, UITH,
Ilorin, Prof Abdulwahab Johnson, also urged patients to visit their doctors
regularly to ensure early treatment of heart attack, a non-communicable disease.
