Apam (C/R), Feb. 7, GNA - Ghanaians, especially those above 50 years should measure their Blood Pressure (BP) regularly since High Blood Pressure has no symptoms at the early stage. Dr Ebenezer Amekah, Acting Medical Superintendent of the Apam Catholic Hospital who gave the advice stated that, "One may have got High Blood Pressure for quite sometime before the symptoms start showing".

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Apam, Dr Amekah said High Blood Pressure was often called the "silent killer" because one could only know that he or she had the disease when the damage to the blood vessels, eyes, brain, heart and the kidneys might have been done already.

He said long-term damage from uncontrolled High Blood Pressure was often irreversible and could lead to an early death. The Acting Medical Superintendent said early detection of the disease; good diet and medication could control it.

He urged Ghanaians to maintain a low-fat diet, decrease salt in take, shed extra weight to decrease strain on the heart and to refrain from smoking and high alcoholic consumption to protect themselves from contracting the disease.

Dr Amekah said the Apam Catholic Hospital had set aside Mondays for measuring BP and blood glucose levels to ensure that people were safe from both high blood pressure and diabetes and called on residents in the Gomoa and nearby districts to take advantage of the service.