Professor Martin Tamatey, a heart surgeon and Acting Director of the National Cardiothoracic Center at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, has cautioned Ghanaians against adopting lifestyles that could lead to heart problems later in life.
He noted that many individuals over the age of 40 were increasingly reporting acquired heart diseases, in addition to the congenital cases seen at the hospital.
Prof. Tamatey gave the warning during a donation event in Accra by the Ghana Airports Company Limited to support needy patients in need of heart surgery.
Congenital heart disease refers to birth defects that affect the heart’s normal function, while acquired heart disease, or cardiovascular disease (CVD), develops after birth due to factors such as infections or pressure on the heart.
According to 2024 data from the National Cardiothoracic Center at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, CVD prevalence in Ghana ranges from 16 to 17 percent.
The data also revealed that 60 percent of deaths among adults were due to heart-related diseases, with 6.5 percent of those deaths linked to diabetes and 19 percent to hypertension.
Prof. Tamatey explained that individuals could also experience complete heart block, a condition where the heart beats abnormally slowly or irregularly due to issues with the electrical pulses that regulate the heart’s rhythm.
He identified key risk factors for acquired heart disease, including high cholesterol, hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes.
Those with acquired heart problems might experience symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling in the ankles, feet, legs, and abdomen, palpitations, nostril flaring, and fatigue.
To prevent future heart issues, Prof. Tamatey stressed the need of regular exercise, healthy eating, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, regularly checking blood pressure and diabetes levels, and ensuring adequate sleep.
He also urged individuals to remain vigilant about their cardiovascular health, advising those already on blood pressure and diabetes medications to continue their treatments and consistently monitor their cholesterol levels to keep them under control.
