Cardiology Society Worries About The Rising Cases Of Stroke, Cardiovascular Diseases In Young People

• Vice President of the Ghana Society of Cardiology has indicated that there is a worrying rise in cases of stroke and cardiovascular diseases in younger people
• Dr Francis Agyekum attributed the incident to unhealthy lifestyles and a general lack of exercise
• He is urging young people to go for regular checkups and exercise frequently to avoid getting sick

Unhealthy lifestyles and lack of exercise have been identified by the Ghana Society of Cardiology as the two major causes of stroke in younger persons.

There has been a marked increase in the incidence of stroke and cardiovascular diseases mostly reported by younger persons at health facilities across the country.

Concerned about the phenomenon, the society has begun intensifying education on the need to be mindful about one’s health particularly in relation to the foods consumed and an advocacy for regular checkups.

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Speaking at its annual general scientific meeting in Accra on Thursday, February 22, 2024, the Vice President of the Society, Dr Francis Agyekum expressed worry at the rising figures in stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in young people.

“Many people with artherosclerotic cardiovascular disease don’t have any symptoms.you’ll need to check to be able to diagnose it. Formerly we use to say that artherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the disease of the rich countries. But now we’re seeing a number of them.

“You can attest to the fact that you’re hearing a lot of stroke cases, if you go outside they are more elderly, but in Ghana we’re seeing more of the people in the productive age group.

“So our patients are younger if you compare them to the United States or the UK. My youngest patient who came with a heart attack was 27 years old,” he said.

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Dr Francis Agyekum also said that regular checkups and changing lifestyles are helpful in avoiding cardiac-related diseases.

According to him, more young people should inculcate exercises into their daily lifestyle and eat healthy to avoid cardiovascular issues.

“Many of them are as a result of lifestyle changes, the way we eat, the kind of food we eat, I mean people are now eating more energy dense meals, fast food, cholesterol, excessive salt intake. People are eating less fruits and vegetables, people are not exercising.

“We go and sit in our rooms, in fact there are people who wake up from their bed, sit in their cars to go to work and then come back sit behind the television and sleep. There’s no exercise at all,” he bemoaned.

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YEN.com.gh had earlier reported that one of the causes for strokes among young Ghanaian youth is stress.

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Scientist, Dr Efua Commeh, the manager of the Non-Communicable Diseases unit of the Ghana Health Service, said stroke used to be recorded among very aged people but now it is occurring in the productive work group.

She advised the youth to take up healthy lifestyles and get checked up regularly.

Source: YEN.com.gh