Rising Hypertension Crisis: Cardiologist Warns as Young Nigerians Face Surging Heart Risks

A leading Nigerian cardiologist has sounded the alarm over a sharp rise in hypertension among young adults, warning that high blood pressure is “no longer a disease of the elderly” as teenagers and people in their twenties increasingly present with dangerously elevated readings.

Professor Chizindu Alikor, Chief Medical Director of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, delivered the warning during the 123rd Inaugural Lecture of Rivers State University, themed “The Silent Active Engine Bearing Weights of Human Sufferings: The Battle to Stay Alive.”

Describing the heart as “the silent active engine” that endures unimaginable strain, the consultant cardiologist said lifestyle choices have become the biggest threat to cardiovascular health in Nigeria.

Professor Alikor said his research, including collaborative studies dating back more than 20 years, shows a worrying rise in cardiovascular risk factors, especially in the Niger Delta.

More disturbing, he noted, is the surge in hypertension among people aged 18 to 39, where risk-factor clustering is already as high as 15%.

He said rural communities — previously thought to be protected by traditional lifestyles — are now recording significantly higher blood pressure levels.

“Urbanisation has erased traditional diets and physical activity and replaced them with a sedentary lifestyle,” he said.

Heart Failure and Stroke Dominating Cases in the Niger Delta

Hypertension-related complications remain rampant, with heart failure and stroke still topping hospital admissions in the Niger Delta, according to Professor Alikor.

He urged Nigerians never to dismiss symptoms such as palpitations, describing them as early signs of cardiovascular distress that require immediate review by a specialist.

The cardiologist also warned that even highly educated Nigerians are unknowingly living with life-threatening blood pressure levels.

“In our study, we found very enlightened university professors walking around with 200/150 — just moving around,” he said.

To curb the crisis, Professor Alikor proposed the Alikor Survival Network Model, a holistic heart-health approach involving families, individuals, and the healthcare system.

He stressed the importance of diet as the first line of defense, recommending meals rich in vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains, while identifying salt-heavy, sugar-filled and processed foods as “enemies of the silent active engine.”

He also encouraged Nigerians to “know your numbers” — blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol — and to keep good-quality electronic monitors at home and at work.

Referencing the Bible, he cited Luke 22:44, saying even scripture demonstrates how stress can impact the cardiovascular system.

Professor Alikor warned that Nigeria’s shift to fast foods and processed meals, combined with declining physical activity, is accelerating the country toward a major heart-disease crisis.

“Without intentional interventions, the next 10 to 20 years will witness an alarming increase in heart attacks and stroke,” he said.

Rivers State University Vice Chancellor, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, commended the lecture, stressing that modern stressors such as unemployment, poverty and unhealthy lifestyles are placing unprecedented strain on vital organs and reducing productivity.

He said the university’s culture of inaugural lectures exists to address such pressing national issues through research and dialogue.