Here is the percentage of adult Ghanaians living with hypertension – Cardiologist

A senior cardiology resident at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Albert Agbi, has disclosed that about 34 percent of adult Ghanaians are living with hypertension, yet fewer than half of them are aware of their condition.

According to a report by citinewsroom.com, he made this known on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, September 19, 2025.

EXPLAINER: All you need to know about hypertension and why it is killing many young people

Dr Agbi cautioned that hypertension remains one of the country’s most pressing public health concerns, describing it as a “silent killer” that often goes unnoticed until it leads to severe complications.

“About 34 percent of adult Ghanaians in our latest data are hypertensive. This means three out of every ten adults you see have hypertension, and less than 50 percent of this number know they are hypertensive,” he stated.

He attributed the situation to poor health-seeking behaviour, stressing that many Ghanaians neglect routine medical check-ups because they assume they are healthy.

High cholesterol can cause black toes and feet – Health expert

“Most people will tell you, ‘I don’t get sick, so I don’t go to the hospital.’ They move about without checking their blood pressure or sugar levels, not knowing that a lot of damage is going on in the background,” he explained.

According to him, hypertension is particularly dangerous because it develops silently without early symptoms.

“Hypertension is called a silent killer because when you have it, you don’t experience symptoms. It is not like malaria where you get headaches or other obvious signs. You can go for years without knowing, and when the symptoms finally show up, they are very complicated,” he warned.

Dr Agbi advised the public to adopt the habit of regular hospital visits and medical screening to detect hypertension early and reduce the risk of life-threatening complications such as stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), hypertension is linked to modifiable risk such as unhealthy diets, low intake of fruits and vegetables, limited physical inactivity, consumption of tobacco and alcohol, and being overweight or obese.

JKB/VPO

I was shot at and nearly killed – Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum recounts escaping death in the line of duty