A Consultant Clinical Pharmacologist, Dr. Sunday Ogundele, has urged Nigerians to pay better attention to their body while using steroids.
Steroids, experts said, are a man-made version of chemicals, known as hormones, that are made naturally in the human body. Steroids are designed to act like these hormones to reduce inflammation. They’re also known as corticosteroids and are different from anabolic steroids used by bodybuilders and athletes.
Dr. Ogundele warned that long-term use of steroids can cause secondary hypertension.
Secondary hypertension, according to experts, is elevated blood pressure with an underlying and potentially reversible cause.
Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise, Ogundele said, “Generally, when we talk about hypertension there are majorly two types: primary hypertension where there is really no particular cause for it and secondary hypertension where other things are causing it.
“For instance, if someone has been on steroids for a long time it can cause hypertension, and if you stop the steroid that means the pressure will be controlled.
Continuing, he revealed that “If a person has goitre the person can also suffer from hypertension, and once the goitre is operated and removed the BP can be controlled.
He also noted that kidney-related health issues can also increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, noting that once the kidney issue is treated, hypertension would be resolved.
Webmd, an online medical news site, noted that secondary hypertension, which happens in about 10 per cent of people with high blood pressure, is less common and is the result of another condition.
Ogundele noted that dealing with the underlying health issues would help to resolve the high blood pressure caused by such conditions.
He, however, warned that unhealthy lifestyles like being overweight, not engaging in exercise, drinking alcohol, and having high salt intake are also risk factors for high blood pressure.
Nigerians, he said, should maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent hypertension, adding that the health condition is a silent killer with no apparent symptoms.
Punch
