By Daniel Ayantoye
Heart disease remains a major public health challenge, claiming millions of lives each year and affecting people across all age groups.
According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 19.8 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2022, accounting for nearly one in three deaths globally. About 85 per cent of these deaths resulted from heart attacks and strokes.
In Nigeria, cardiovascular disease is also an increasing public health concern. The World Heart Observatory estimates that more than 235,000 Nigerians die annually from cardiovascular-related conditions, while the WHO identifies ischaemic heart disease, commonly known as a heart attack, as one of the country’s leading non-communicable causes of death.
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMC Cardiovascular Disorders estimated that hypertension affects 34.2 per cent of Nigerian adults, roughly one in every three people.
Although heart attacks often appear sudden, experts say the underlying damage usually develops over many years through a combination of medical conditions and unhealthy lifestyle habits.
A Professor of Internal Medicine at the College of Health Sciences, University of Jos, Basil Okeahialam, explained that a heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart is blocked or severely reduced.
For those looking to protect their heart, experts recommend these five essential steps.
Know and control your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
One of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of a heart attack is to know your cardiovascular risk factors and treat them early. High blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol gradually damage the blood vessels that supply the heart.
Okeahialam identified these three conditions as major contributors to heart attacks, warning that diseased blood vessels can reduce blood flow to the heart and lead to chest pain, severe complications or sudden death.
Rather than waiting for symptoms, he advised regular health checks.
A 2024 study published in the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal found that cardiovascular risk factors commonly occur together among diabetic patients in Lagos. Of the 357 patients studied, 72 per cent had hypertension, 82.6 per cent had abdominal obesity, 56 per cent were physically inactive, and 91.6 per cent slept for less than eight hours. Overall, 40.3 per cent had at least three cardiovascular risk factors.
Eat a heart-healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight
Your diet plays a major role in preventing high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Okeahialam urged Nigerians to avoid unhealthy eating habits and maintain a healthy weight.
“Don’t get obese,” he advised.
A heart-healthy diet does not require exotic foods. It simply means choosing more vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish while reducing salt, red and processed meats, refined grains, and sugary foods and drinks.
Salt deserves particular attention because excessive sodium intake contributes to high blood pressure.
A systematic review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition in 2024 found that reducing sodium intake lowered blood pressure, while the use of salt substitutes was associated with lower cardiovascular and overall mortality.
Stay physically active
Physical inactivity is another major risk factor that can be prevented.
The don encouraged people to become physically active and avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.
A large systematic review and meta-analysis found that moving from inactivity to 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly reduced the risk of cardiovascular death by 23 per cent and lowered the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17 per cent.
Exercise, therefore, is not only for weight loss, it is a powerful tool for protecting the heart.
Don’t smoke and avoid excessive alcohol
Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of cardiovascular disease.
Okeahialam’s advice was unequivocal: “Don’t smoke. Don’t abuse alcohol.”
Tobacco damages blood vessels and significantly increases cardiovascular stress.
Research consistently identifies smoking as a major behavioural risk factor for heart disease.
A meta-analysis cited in the study found that people who quit smoking had a substantially lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who continued smoking, regardless of whether they gained weight after quitting.
Manage chronic stress and get enough sleep
Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic stress is harmful to the heart.
Okeahialam explained that temporary periods of intense work may be manageable, but constant pressure without adequate recovery becomes unhealthy.
“If you have a stress-related job, you can do that over a short term, but if that becomes your routine work schedule, then your work schedule is unhealthy,” he said.
The don also linked poor sleep to conditions that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stressing the importance of regular rest and recovery.
Prevention starts long before symptoms appear
Protecting the heart is rarely about one single habit. A person may exercise regularly but still smoke; another may eat well but have uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes.
Lasting prevention requires a combination of healthy lifestyle choices and appropriate medical care.
A Nigerian clinical and autopsy study involving 788 cases identified hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, physical inactivity, obesity and high cholesterol as the leading risk factors for ischaemic heart disease.
Another 2025 review covering over 70,000 participants across 10 West African countries reported hypertension prevalence at 33.8 per cent and linked it to obesity, alcohol use, diabetes, reduced physical activity and family history.
The five key steps remain simple but powerful: know your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol; eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy weight; stay physically active; avoid smoking and excessive alcohol; and manage stress while getting adequate sleep.
For people already living with hypertension, diabetes or high cholesterol, lifestyle changes should complement, not replace, prescribed medical treatment.
Ultimately, reducing the risk of a heart attack is not about making one dramatic lifestyle change; it is about consistently making healthier choices every day.
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