Cardiologist Blames Lifestyle, Poor Healthcare, and Ignorance for Rise in Sudden Deaths in Nigeria

A Professor of Cardiology and Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ike, has attributed the rising incidence of sudden deaths in Nigeria to unhealthy lifestyle choices, inadequate healthcare access, and widespread ignorance of critical warning signs.

Speaking at a public lecture titled “The Menace of Sudden Death in Our Society: What Can We Do?” held on Monday in Enugu, Prof. Ike emphasised the urgent need for preventive education and systematic interventions. The lecture was organised by the College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), in collaboration with the Enugu State Government.

Voice of the people  (VOP) reports that the event aimed to raise public awareness on the growing cases of sudden death and highlight measures for prevention and post-event management.

According to Prof. Ike, the shift from traditional local diets to processed and foreign foods has contributed significantly to the rise in diet-related diseases. He advised Nigerians to reduce their intake of junk food and prioritise fresh fruits and vegetables.

“Sudden cardiac death,” he explained, “is a natural death from heart-related causes that occurs within an hour of the onset of acute symptoms.” These symptoms, he noted, include chest pain, irregular heartbeat, difficulty in breathing, and pain in the arm—especially on the left side.

He stressed that lifestyle habits such as smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, sedentary living, and overexertion from exercises like weightlifting or intense push-ups increase the risk of sudden death. Medical risk factors, he said, include hypertension, diabetes, obesity, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, and stroke.

Additional contributors, according to the cardiologist, include depression, cold exposure, excessive excitement, asthma, pregnancy complications, head injuries, and abortions. Men, he observed, are particularly vulnerable because many suppress symptoms instead of seeking timely medical care.

Prof. Ike revealed that 40% of sudden deaths are unwitnessed, and 80% occur at home. Data from autopsies conducted at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) between 2007 and 2018 showed that 13.6% of all deaths were classified as sudden, with only eight of 29 cases reaching a hospital.

To address the problem, he called for national policy interventions, improved hospital equipment, public awareness through the media, basic emergency response training, and a functioning emergency helpline.

In a related presentation, Prof. Robsam Ohayi, a forensic and anatomical pathology expert, stressed the importance of autopsies and toxicological testing in determining the causes of death—particularly to identify genetic factors. He urged the Enugu State Government to establish a toxicology laboratory, noting the current absence of such a facility in the state.

Representing Governor Peter Mbah, Enugu State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. George Ugwu, highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the healthcare system. He said the state is constructing 260 primary healthcare centres—one in each political ward—as part of its strategy to prevent avoidable deaths.

“Enugu is investing heavily in the health sector. We aim to create a model healthcare system that other states can emulate,” Dr. Ugwu said.

The governor’s Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Yomi Jaiye, added that CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) training and implementation had been approved across all primary health centres in the state.

“Most people who collapse suddenly are not yet dead—their brains have just stopped receiving blood. Timely CPR can revive them,” he explained, encouraging the public to learn and apply CPR techniques.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of ESUT, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, noted that beyond cardiac issues, factors such as poverty and mental health challenges like depression also contribute to sudden deaths and must be addressed comprehensively.