Posted by Chinenye on Wed 07th Oct, 2026 - tori.ng
Life in the military can put serious pressure on the heart, and a military heart doctor is warning soldiers and veterans not to ignore their health
(Doctor. Photo Credit: The Guardian)
A military cardiologist, Maj.-Gen. Life Ajemba, has advised military personnel and veterans to take their heart health seriously through regular medical checks, exercise, healthy eating and enough rest.
He spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said high blood pressure is one of the most common heart-related problems among serving personnel and retired soldiers.
He pointed to studies showing that high blood pressure made up 15.31 percent of cases treated among mostly retired military personnel between 2015 and 2020.
Another study found that 34.3 percent of military personnel have high blood pressure.
He said the major risk factors include alcohol, smoking, a family history of heart disease and being overweight.
According to him, the demands of military life can also raise the risk of heart problems.
He listed physical stress, trauma, irregular schedules and lack of sleep.
He explained that long periods of stress cause the body to release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which raise heart rate and blood pressure.
Poor sleep and anxiety can add to the danger of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
Ajemba stressed the need for regular screening, saying early checks can catch silent problems like high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and high blood sugar.
He said routine checks can include blood pressure and heart rate monitoring, blood tests, an ECG, a chest X-ray and a heart scan where needed.
He added that early detection lets soldiers get treatment while staying fit for duty, and helps avoid medical evacuation.
He also encouraged regular exercise, saying it lowers blood pressure, makes the heart work better and helps the body handle tiredness during operations.
But he advised personnel to pair exercise with healthy eating, enough rest and staying away from smoking and too much alcohol.
He said a healthy lifestyle can help lower heart risks and keep personnel fit both during service and after retirement.