The Nation Newspaper

Tag: heart disease

  • ‘Cholesterol in egg prevents heart disease, breast cancer’

    ‘Cholesterol in egg prevents heart disease, breast cancer’

    Stakeholders in poultry farming on Friday gathered to mark the World Egg Day to promote consumption of one-egg-per-day, saying cholesterol in egg prevents heart disease, breast cancer.

    The stakeholders which include: farmers, students, markets and egg merchants expressed the believe that that an egg has many nutritional benefits like protein, vitamins, and cholesterol, which can reduce the risks of heart diseases.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Lagos Chapter in collaboration with Novus Nigeria Ltd.

    The theme of the programme, held in Lagos is “Benefits of Eating One Egg a Day by the Nigerian Child’’.

    Speaking at the event, Oba Tijani Akinloye, the traditional ruler of Ajiran, highlighted the benefits of eating egg.

    He, therefore, expressed his support for the government’s plan to introduce a meal per day in schools.

    The Oba, who is also a poultry farmer, expressed the readiness of farmers in his area to produce eggs that would meet local demand for the one-egg-per-day project.

    “Nigeria is blessed with the resources to provide a child with a plate of food, which will include an egg.

    “There is no food with protein that does not have cholesterol.

    “An egg in every diet is the road to good health that will keep the doctor away,’’ he said.

    The royal father suggested four eggs per week for primary school pupils and six eggs per week for secondary students.

    “That way, we are building a healthy Nigeria and poultry farmers are ready to work,’’ he said.

    The monarch said that he has been taking an egg daily since 1982 when he started his poultry farm.

    Also speaking, Dr Olajide Basorun, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, said that the state presently produces about 500,000 eggs daily.

    According to him, the state has several poultry farms in Epe, Imota and Agbowa.

    Basorun, who was represented Mr Taye Amore, said that the state was working hard to expand and increase egg production.

    “We have realised the importance of egg consumption and that is why we are part of the programme of the Federal Government’s “one egg and meal per day’’ initiative.

    “With the scarcity of egg presently, poultry farmers should take the advantage and expand their farms and do more businesses in egg production.

    “This will promote food security and healthy living at the same time,’’ he said.

    Dr Olawumi Funso, an agriculture expert, said that the cholesterol in egg was capable of reducing the cholesterol produces by the liver, which was dangerous to health.

    “Eggs provide the solution to a healthy living; millions of Nigerian children are malnourished because they lack necessary nutrients.

    “Egg is one of the most affordable solutions to problems associated with vitamins A, B2, B12, D, Folate, protein, selenium, choline and iodine.

    “So, egg is an important vitamin pill for all ages both old and young,’’ Funso, who was senior Assistant to former Gov Babatunde Fasola on Agriculture, said.

    NAN reports that the World Egg Day (WED) was initiated by the International Egg Commission (IEC) in order to promote nature’s vitamin pill, the egg.

    Nigeria is one of seven African countries that celebrates WED, every second Friday in October.

  • Heart disease patient Obinna needs N4.5m to live

    Heart disease patient Obinna needs N4.5m to live

    Madunagu Obinna Christopher, a businessman and native of Okigwe, Imo State, is suffering from acute heart enlargement and urgently needs the sum of N4.5 million to have it corrected in India.

    The father of two, who has been in and out of various hospitals, has become a shadow of his real self since the problem began, losing weight and having difficulty breathing and sleeping at night.

    Explaining how it all started, he said: “The health challenge started in 2012 when I started feelings pains on both sides of my ribs. I couldn’t lie down flat when it started and would always be awake from 12am. Instead of sleeping, I would kneel on the floor and put a pillow on the bed and rest on it all through the night.

    “When I went to the hospital, I was told that my BP was very high and was asked to do series of tests after which I was given some medications.

    “The situation got worse towards the end of the year. I was taken to a general hospital. By then, I couldn’t breathe very well or sleep. The hospital asked me to also do series of tests. The results revealed that I have enlargement of the heart and high cholesterol.

    “They started treating me after that. Unfortunately, the hospital staff embarked on industrial action few months after I started receiving treatment. This made me to switch to a private hospital.

    “They started treating me, but at a point, they said they would not be able to handle my situation again and referred me to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja.”

    He added: “When I was taken there, I started the series of tests I had done in other hospitals all over. They told me that my heart had enlarged so much and I would need a Peace Maker for it to function well again. The consultant handling my case got in touch with some specialists in India who said that I would need about N4.5 million to have the situation rectified.

    “I don’t have any money anywhere again because I have spent all the money in my savings and sold my properties so far to offset the bills I incurred in the various hospitals that I have been to. I have spent over N3 million so far, and to make matters worse, I have not been able to attend to my business since the challenge started.”

    He lamented that the delay in raising money to take him abroad has continued to aggravate his situation, saying: “My situation is not getting better at all. It is rather getting worse because I have not been able to raise the money.

    “I had a terrible attack a month ago and was rushed back to LASUTH. Unfortunately, they said there was no bed space and had to refer me to Igando General Hospital. They fixed oxygen on me as I left for Igando General Hospital. When I got to Igando, they also said there was no bed space.

    “It was at that point that my consultant got in touch with Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). I spent a whole month there and had all the tests done all over. I have been going through hell since the problem started. I want to appeal to kind hearted Nigerians to please save my life.

    You may reach out to Madunagu Obinna Christopher on 08036795486.

    His account number is 0005467533 (Diamond Bank).

  • Heart disease threatens man’s life

    Thirty-five-year-old Murtala Saheed is wallowing in utter anguish no thanks to a life-threatening heart problem. And he may not smile again unless an urgent surgical operation is done to rescue him from the brink of death.

    The Kwara State indigene from Ilorin East Local Government Area was a hard-working spray painter who would not tolerate idleness. Today, he is bed-ridden as his relations are in desperate search for succour.

    When suddenly, Saheed became dull and weak, he never believed he was on a journey through anguish. He knew better when he got frequently dizzy, resulting in fainting. His ebullience snapped, leading to health complications that neither he nor anyone else understood.

    The artisan searched for solutions at various hospitals in Lagos, where he was working. But after spending nearly N1 million on tests and drugs without any improvement, Saheed’s family took him back to Kwara State, where he was rushed to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) for further diagnoses. There, he was confirmed to have a chronic heart complication. His hospital number at the UITH is 549216.

    Saheed’s step-brother, Mr Kareem Kayode, explained that the family had been spending a lot of money on his treatment, adding that the patient requires N5million for his operation abroad, logistics inclusive.

    A consultant cardiologist, Dr Philips Kolo, certified the patient’s ailment.

    In a note, he wrote on Saheed’s condition: “The above-named is a 35-year-old man with initial complications of recurring fainting, dizziness and body weakness. A clinical examination revealed that he has a congenital heart disease (a hole in the heart), which has been confirmed by echocardiography. He needs an open-heart surgery as a definitive treatment of this condition in India.”

    Those willing to assist Saheed to live a normal life again, Kayode said, could send their widow’s mite through two bank accounts: Abdulquadri Abdulkareem Kayode, GTBank Plc, number: 1006908552 or Mr Saheed Alabi, GTBank Plc, number: 0035221169.

  • Ace actor Pa Kasumu battles heart disease

    Ace actor Olukayode Odumosu, popularly known as Pa Kasumu, is in dire straits. He is struggling to stay alive as he battles heart and liver diseases.

    Amid fears and prayers by family members, relations and friends, he is receiving treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for “secondary prevention of repeat stroke,” after battling a cardiovascular disease, otherwise known as stroke. Now, he needs N12 million to address the health challenges that are pushing him to the brink.

    But, can he find help to stay alive and do what he loves doing? This is the poser on his lips when he spoke with The Nation. He recounted that his ailment began in 2009. Since then, he has been undergoing series of diagnostic tests and costly medications.

    All these have deprived him of any meaningful professional engagement in the movie industry; hence, he is suffering serious financial handicap.

    Odumosu, who hails from Odogbolu in Ogun State, said his vision was also failing, adding: “I have spent so much on these diseases. When it was first diagnosed, the doctors said the ailment was severe, that they would need to control its progression for it not to affect my kidneys. This they did, and I was happy they succeeded, but now, other serious ailments have set in, necessitating this battle of survival.”

    Odumosu, who recently clocked 60, with over 40 years in the movie world, said: “I am not tired yet; I still want to continue to make people laugh, but my failing health is a terrible obstacle.”

    He said he was experiencing memory loss due to the ailment, adding that it was time the government, corporate organisations and kind-hearted Nigerians rescued him from likely “untimely death.”

    Odumosu, who lives in a rented apartment at 9, Alayaki Street, Off Olateju Street, Mushin, Lagos, said he had spent all he had on the diseases and could no longer afford the cost of further treatment.

    He gave his bank details as: Olukayode Olugbenga Odumosu; Diamond Bank Account number: 0036059543. And his mobile telephone numbers: 08033535159 and 08096762254.

    He added that his son, Tunde, could also be reached on 08174435105.

  • Five-year-old battles heart disease, ulcer

    The wore a sullen mien yesterday. Every day, she wakes up, hoping that one day, help would come her way to actualise her dream of becoming a lawyer. But that dream appears to be dying because of her condition.

    At five, Fatimat Usman’s life hangs in the balance and if urgent help does not come her way, she may bid the world an untimely final bye, no thanks to a heart disease and a life-threatening ulcer that are making life hellish for her. Sadly, the sore on her badly affected right arm festers by the day. All her poor parents and relations can do is to cry and pray for help from no one in particular.

    Her problem began two years ago, when she started having unusual temperature, said her mother, Mrs Wunmi Usman. She could not conceal her hopelessness when he spoke with The Nation at her 6, Olanipekun Street in Ayetoro, Ogun State.

    “In 2011, we noticed she was always getting sick and running temperature. We mistook it for malaria and gave her some drugs. The temperature stopped for few days but later came back. We took her to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for malaria again,” she told The Nation.

    According to her, the ailment refused to go and the little girl got emaciated by the day. The situation, she said, prompted her to take Fatima to a General Hospital where doctors recommended that she be taken to India for solution.

    “We were still thinking about how to run around to raise the money, when, on a particular day in 2011, she was sent on errand. On her way back home, she fell and knocked her right hand elbow on the ground. We applied an ointment on the elbow to reduce the pain, thinking the pain would soon go away,” Wunmi said.

    “Before we knew what was happening” she further recalled, “the hand began to swell few days later. We started to apply treatment to it but it refused to heal. We took her to the hospital for treatment, but we were surprised that pores began to come out of the elbow some days after. By the time we took her back to the hospital, the injury had festered. It was at later diagnosed as ulcer. Right now, the hospital said we would need N2.5 million for the treatment of both her heart and the hand.”

    Mrs Usman said all efforts by her cash-strapped family to raise the money failed. She, therefore, called on Nigerians to come to the girl’s aid, financially, to save her life.

    “I want Nigerians to help my daughter. I have no means of raising the money. I want them to help us for Fatima not to die,” she pleaded.

    A First Bank account, domiciled under the name, Usman Fatimat, with number, 3074405328, she said, had been opened for her, for the attention of Good Samaritans among the public.

    “I have sold all I needed to sell to rescue my daughter. The only thing remaining for me is to find a buyer for my person,” she said, as she broke down in tears.

  • Snoring…a signal for brain and heart disease

    Snoring…a signal for brain and heart disease

    If you have a habit of snoring each time you fall asleep, chances are high that you have an increased risk of developing a heart disease. Rita Ohai writes.

    SNORTING in your sleep and keeping every other person awake is not only annoying but it also worsen a heart condition and could lead to stroke or do some damage to the brain, say experts.

    A study has found that “heavy snorers are six times more likely to suffer a heart attack while asleep”. It said the risk of heart disease could be increased by blood pressure, and nerve and hormonal changes caused by snoring, and that people who suffer from obstructive sleep or have bad sleeping habits are most at risk

    New research conducted by otolaryngologists at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit finds that snoring is a bigger risk factor for stroke and heart attack than smoking, being overweight, or high cholesterol.

    Explaining this health condition, Dr. Moji Jolayemi stated, “Snoring is a common condition that can affect anyone, although it occurs more frequently in men and people who are overweight. It occurs when the flow of air through the mouth and nose is physically obstructed so that the wind pipe of the person breathing is squeezed. This makes it difficult for to take in air and so they tend to forcefully suck the air in.”

    A team from the University of Detroit looked at the blood vessels in many snorers and found increased thickening of the artery walls, indicating damage already setting in.

    Some suggested that the damage could be due to the trauma and inflammation caused by the vibrations of snoring. However, previous research on the connection between sleep disturbances, also known as apnea, and artery disease has found that the arterial damage comes first, lowering the amount of oxygen in the blood, leading to breathing interruptions.

    Lead scientist in the sleep-related finding, Dr. Robert Deeb said in a statement. “Patients need to seek treatment in the same way they would if they had sleep apnea, high blood pressure or other risk factors for cardiovascular disease as well as stroke.”

    It is also key to point out that many patients who snore are likely to have a heart attack between midnight and 6.00am in the morning compared with patients without the condition.

    They say that the data suggests that most heart attacks usually start in the early hours of the morning while patients sleep or the daylight hours, therefore making the attack unexpected.

    Overall this study confirms and further defines the relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea and heart attack. However, because of the small numbers of patients and the way that they were selected for the study, it is not possible to be completely confident that the strength of the association approaches a six-fold increase in risk.

    While obstructive sleep apnea (which often develops from snoring) has long been known as an indicator of cardiovascular disease, there’s been little evidence up to now to show the damage starts earlier with snoring.

    Their research has serious practical applications because heart disease, particularly artery blockage, is so often detected only after significant permanent damage has been done.

    Paying attention to your snoring habit could lead doctors to order tests sooner and help you get earlier diagnosis and treatment of heart or brain disease.

     

    Habitual snorers can be at risk for serious health problems. These problems show themselves as:

    Long interruptions of breathing (more than 10 seconds) during sleep caused by partial or total obstruction or blockage of the airway.

    Frequent waking from sleep, even though you may not realize it.

    Light sleeping. People with obstructive sleep apnea sleep lightly to try to keep their throat muscles tense enough to maintain airflow.

    Strain on the heart. Prolonged suffering from obstructive sleep apnea often results in higher blood pressure and may cause enlargement of the heart, with higher risks of heart attack and stroke.

    Poor night’s sleep. This leads to drowsiness during the day and can interfere with your quality of life.

     

    Air flow can be obstructed by a combination of factors, including:

    Distorted nasal airways: Some people snore only during allergy seasons or when they have a sinus infection. Deformities of the nose such as a deviated septum (a structural change in the wall that separates one nostril from the other) or nasal polyps can also cause obstruction.

    Poor muscle tone in the throat and tongue: Throat and tongue muscles can be too relaxed, which allows them to collapse and fall back into the airway. This can result from deep sleep, alcohol consumption, and use of some sleeping pills. Normal aging causes further relaxation of these muscles.

    Bulky throat tissue: Being overweight can cause bulky throat tissue. Also, children with large tonsils and adenoids often snore.

    Long soft palate or uvula: When the dangling tissue in back of the mouth is too long, it can narrow the opening from the nose to the throat. When these structures vibrate and bump against one another the airway becomes obstructed, causing snoring.