By Ruth Serwaa Asare,Seli Baisie
Copyright gbcghanaonline
By Ruth Serwaa Asare
Sitting for long hours may be just as dangerous as smoking when it comes to heart health, a cardiologist has warned.
Speaking on GTV’s Breakfast Show as part of World Heart Day activities, Dr Albert Agbi, a cardiology fellow and physician specialist at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, stressed that lifestyle choices are fuelling a surge in cardiovascular diseases in Ghana.
“There is a new saying in our circles that sitting is the new smoking,” Dr Agbi explained. “From research, you have the same risk profile as someone who smokes. I’m not saying smoking is right, but I want to draw attention to the dangers of our sedentary lifestyles.”
According to him, many Ghanaians underestimate their risk because conditions like hypertension often develop quietly. “There are no symptoms in the beginning. It is when complications are showing up before you start having symptoms. Many people who have high blood pressure or hypertension would have no symptoms at all,” he noted.
The statistics are alarming: about 34% of adult Ghanaians live with hypertension, yet most have never been tested. “People say, I never get sick, so they avoid hospitals. But those are the same people likely to face complications,” he warned.
Dr Agbi urged households to invest in blood pressure machines, which cost between GHC 400 and 700, insisting that prevention starts at home. “The whole family, young adults, parents, and the elderly can use the same machine. And if you can’t afford one, pharmacies and even drug stores offer free checks. No one has an excuse,” he emphasized.
He also cautioned against complacency after a single good reading. “Just because your BP was fine yesterday doesn’t mean it is fine today. Stressful events like hearing bad news can cause an acute rise. For some people, it goes down, but for others, it doesn’t.”
Linking lifestyle habits to rising heart disease, Dr Agbi said unhealthy diets, high cholesterol, and lack of physical activity are worsening Ghana’s health profile. “Our plates are too heavy with carbohydrates. Three bowls of kenkey with a little fish is not balance. It should be the other way round,” he said.
He likened cholesterol buildup in the blood vessels to oil clogging a sink. “When your cholesterol builds up, it blocks blood flow. That is how strokes and heart attacks happen,” he explained.
Marking World Heart Day under the theme Don’t Miss a Beat, Dr Agbi stressed the urgency of lifestyle change and regular check-ups. “Worldwide, 20 million people die annually from heart-related issues. Even in Ghana, stroke units and emergency wards are full. You don’t have to feel sick before you get checked. Early intervention can save your life.”
His parting advice was simple but powerful: “Don’t wait for symptoms. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Your heart deserves care today.”
