{
  "id": 746662,
  "title": "Understanding hypertension: Why it matters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/understanding-hypertension-why-it-matters",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-13T07:46:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/understanding-hypertension-why-it-matters/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure (BP), is a major global health concern responsible for many preventable illnesses and deaths. In Ghana, approximately 3.7 million people, or one in every three adults, suffer from hypertension, with nearly half of them unaware of their condition. Hospital diagnoses of hypertension have increased, but many cases go undiagnosed until patients suffer severe health complications like stroke, heart attack, or kidney damage.\n\nBlood pressure refers to the force exerted by blood as it flows through arteries, which transport oxygen and nutrients from the heart to various parts of the body. Dr. Florence Akumiah, a cardiology fellow and physician specialist at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), explains that a certain level of blood pressure is essential for organs like the brain, kidneys, and heart to receive adequate blood supply. However, high blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the heart has to work harder to pump blood, or when blood faces greater resistance as it flows through arteries. This can be due to several factors, such as stiff or narrowed blood vessels, a consistently faster heart rate, or excessive fluid in the body.\n\nNumerous risk factors contribute to the development of hypertension, particularly among young and older individuals. Biological factors, which are beyond a person's control, include race, age, sex (men are more susceptible to high blood pressure before menopause while women's risk increases after menopause), family history, genetics, and pregnancy-related hypertension. Lifestyle factors, which can be modified, involve unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, excess body weight, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption. Environmental and social factors, also modifiable, encompass air pollution, climate change, chronic psychological stress, anxiety, depression, and income states.\n\nExperts attribute the rising prevalence of hypertension to a combination of these risk factors. To reduce the risk of high blood pressure, individuals should focus on improving their lifestyle choices, such as adopting a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, quitting tobacco, and moderating alcohol consumption. Additionally, addressing environmental and social factors, like reducing air pollution and managing stress, can also help prevent hypertension.",
  "summary": "Hypertension otherwise known as high blood pressure (BP) has become one of the world’s leading causes of preventable illness and deaths. In Ghana, an estimated 3.7 million people representing one in every three adults live with BP with nearly half of this number being unaware of their status. Many hospitals continue to diagnose more people … The post Understanding hypertension: Why it matters…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}