Military Personnel at Higher Heart Disease Risk Due to Stress, Hypertension – Cardiologist
A military cardiologist, Maj.-Gen. Life Ajemba, has urged serving military personnel and veterans to prioritise their heart health through regular medical checks, physical exercise, healthy diets and adequate rest. Ajemba, who spoke in an interview in Abuja, said hypertension remained one of the most common cardiovascular conditions among serving personnel and military retirees. He cited studies showing that hypertension accounted for 15.31 per cent of cases treated among mainly military retirees between 2015 and 2020, while another study recorded a hypertension prevalence of 34.3 per cent among military personnel. According to him, key risk factors include alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, family history of cardiovascular disease and being overweight. He added that the demanding nature of military service could further increase cardiovascular risks through extreme physical stress, psychological trauma, environmental exposures, irregular schedules and inadequate sleep.
Ajemba explained that prolonged stress can trigger the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, while sleep deprivation, anxiety and other psychological pressures could raise the risk of hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart attacks and stroke. He therefore stressed the importance of regular medical screening to detect silent conditions such as high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels and elevated blood sugar at an early stage. He said routine checks could include blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, blood tests, lipid profiles, electrocardiograms, chest X-rays and echocardiography where necessary. The cardiologist also encouraged military personnel to exercise regularly, noting that physical fitness could reduce blood pressure, improve heart efficiency and increase resistance to operational fatigue. However, he advised that exercise should be combined with healthy eating, adequate rest and avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption to reduce cardiovascular risks and support long-term health during service and after retirement.
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