Shun Smoking, Reduce Alcohol Intake To Prevent Heart Failure, Cardiologist Advises Youths 

By Ikenna Orioha 

A consultant cardiologist, practicing with the University Teaching Hospital Owerri and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Dr. Nwako Okechukwu Francis, has said that there are a lot of things that cause Heart Failure, depending on the environment, though.

Nwako harped that Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) is the leading cause of Heart Failure in Sub-Sahara Africa, while Chemical Disease causes Heart Failure in the Western World. 

He identified that Substance Abuse like Smoking, Alcohol Over Use, Diabetes, including Kidney Disease are also causes of Heart Failure.

Nwako disclosed this while giving a lecture during the 2026 Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference, organized by Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Imo State, last Saturday, at its Secretariat, Owerri.

He pointed out that Smoking gives toxic cardio myopathy, causing Heart Failure, just as over use Alcohol results to cardio myopathy, causing Heart Failure, a menace he attributed to poverty, hardship, economic and emotional stress or frustration.

Regretting that Heart Failure, Liver Damage, Kidney Disease, Diabetes are prevalent in Imo State, Nwako added that Heart Failure is also heridatory (heritable cardio myopathy), but the menace cannot be transmitted, urging the youth to abstain from Smoking and over use of Alcohol to enable them live healthy and long.

He reflected that Heart Failure is preventable, stressing that educating the people about the scourge, controlling hypertension with 

routine medical checks, shunning smoking, reducing alcohol intake, salt, stop patronizing patent medicine dealers, exercise regularly and eat healthy food, are measures that could prevent Heart Failure, Liver Damage and Kidney Disease.

Marshalling out the symptoms of Heart Failure as Swollen Legs, Chest Pain, among others, Nwako urged government to place punitive measure to contain quack medicines, which he attributed to contributing to Heart Failure.

He told the State government to create admissible grounds that will enable the youth to evenly engage in productive ventures or empowerment activities to reduce poverty, hardship, which he hinted set the minds of the people to seek respite in smoking and excessive alcoholism.