How Hypertensive and Hypotensive Patients Can Watch AFCON Final

Last week, it was quite unfortunate, five known Nigerians, including a wealthy businessman based in Ivory Coast, met their unforseen ends while watching Super Eagles/Bafana AFCON semi-final match.

 

The five include a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh; Anambra-born businessman based in Cote d’ivoire, Osondu Nwoye; Deputy Bursar, Kwara State University, Malete, Ayuba Abdullahi, a corps member serving in Adamawa State, simply identified as Samuel.

 

Medical analyses of their deaths have not been revealed but according to accounts of eyewitnesses and family members, all of the five were hale and hearty before they start watching the match. The shock from the match shot their hearts to possibly raced, then, orchestrated their collapse and deaths.

 

While Ojougboh, an erstwhile member representing the Ika Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives and former Executive Director, of Projects, on the Interim Management Committee, IMC, of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, reportedly slumped in his house in Abuja; Nwoye, was also reported to have collapsed inside the stadium, while watching the match and died later in hospital.

 

Sources close to the Kwara State University Deputy Bursar, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Abdulahi went to a viewing centre in Sango area before he started feeling unease. He eventually got home but collapsed and was rushed to nearby hospitals where he was later pronounced dead.

 

One of the sources said: “The deputy bursar watched the Nigeria/South Africa match from the beginning till the end of the extra time, and continued till it was time for penalty kicks.

 

“He complained that he was feeling dizzy, so he said he needed to go back home and rest, not knowing that his BP had gone up.

 

“On getting home, he collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in Sango where he was referred to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital but died before he could be attended to.”

 

Abdulahi had since been buried in line of Islamic rites.

 

Meanwhile, a member of the National Youth Service Corps serving in Adamawa State, simply identified as Samuel, also died during the penalty shootouts of the match, NYSC management council reveals. While Nestle’s 43-year-old sales representative in Ogun State, followed suit, while watching, the match in Abeokuta.

 

Nothing is wrong with watching football. What’s wrong is how to watch it medically as someone with health conditions. Though, Super Eagles broke the net to semifinal, it was a win with mixed feelings. While celebrating the win, the families affected were either burying their dead or mourning for the losses.

 

According to the Vanguard Newspaper, experts said excitement could cause sudden death if there was an underlying health condition. This could be the case of the five deceased Nigerians.

 

A Consultant Cardiologist at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Dr Ramon Moronkola, also attributed the spate of sudden death while watching a football match to either a heart attack or a stroke.

 

In a telephone interview with the Vanguard correspondent, Moronkola said grief or excitement could cause sudden death, particularly if there was an underlying medical issue that is diagnosed or undiagnosed.

 

“People can die suddenly as a result of grief or excitement. For those that die as a result of excitement, usually there is an underlying cardiovascular issue, either known or unknown to the individual.

 

”For people that develop heart failure for example or those that have had what is called Ischemic Heart Disease, which is some form of blockage in their heart before, any form of excitement can tilt such people towards a heart attack.

 

“Some people are also prone to developing what are called arrhythmias when there is an emotional surge.“Arrhythmias mean the heart is beating abnormally and goes into an abnormal rhythm, and that can also lead to sudden death.”

 

On what individuals can do to prevent such unexpected occurrences of sudden death, Moronkola said everyone should undergo regular health checks, even as he called for immediate resuscitation of emergency response and preparedness approaches in Nigeria.

 

“There is nothing that can be beyond regular checks even if you have no symptoms and don’t feel any pain, it is good to check. It is when there is no war that you prepare for war, so even if you have no symptoms, and you are not sick, it is good to have regular checks so that you can detect any underlying issues. That is the only way forward.

 

“Try regular health checks so that you can know what your background condition is and manage it appropriately. If you have high blood pressure that is not controlled and when you have an emotional surge, your blood pressure will go through the roof compared to someone whose blood pressure or hypertension is well controlled.”

 

How to watch AFCON Finals as an Hypotensive and Hypertensive Patient 

 

Hypotension is low blood pressure while it is not always severe, it can cause some serious health conditions, Pharm Easy notes. But hypertension is high blood pressure and is constantly dangerous.

 

Causes of High Blood Pressure can be:

• Obesity
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Increases salt intake
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Genetics
• Stress
• Ageing
• Kidney disease

Some of these causes are the solutions to it. If you’re a patient with a high blood pressure, ensure you don’t watch the match alone. And must have taken your medication before the match.

 

If possible, don’t watch the penalty shootout, should the game result into penalty.

 

Above all, always remember it is a game and nothing but a game that worth not a pence of your life.

 

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