Cardiologist Recommends Checking, Treating SUA for Every CVA Patient

By Dike Onwuamaeze

A consultant cardiologist at the R-Jolad Hospital, a Lagos based Multi Specialist Hospital, Dr. Oladapo Adewuya, has advocated for regular check and treatment of serum uric acid (SUA) in all patients at risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), which is known as “heart attack” by an average Nigerian.

Adewuya made this known last week at the 50th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Cardiac Society (NCS) with the theme: “Delivering Cardiovascular Care in Emergency/Disaster Situations.”

He recommended that every patient susceptible to Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) also commonly known as “heart attacks,” should routinely assess their SUA levels to mitigate the risk of such attacks.

He said preliminary studies carried out at the R-Jolad Hospital associated SUA with high blood cholesterol in hypertensive patients, adding that the cardiologists at the hospital were of the opinion that a comprehensive diagnosis for SUA should be carried out for all hypertensive patients as well.

Adewuya said: “We urge every patient at risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), which in layman language is known as a heart attack, to regularly check their SUA levels and treat it while controlling high blood cholesterol; the results of our study suggest that even if their case is at intermediate levels, its association with SUA tends to increase the risk of an acute heart attack.”

He said R-Jolad Hospital has helped to instill confidence in an average Nigerian citizen by providing affordable and accessible healthcare services, adding that the hospital’s core strength over its almost four decades of existence is attributable to its service diversification.