A Consultant Neurologist at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Dr Kolawole Wahab, has said that 15 million people suffer from stroke worldwide annually.
Wahab who stated this on Thursday in Ilorin at a health talk organised by the Islamic Welfare Foundation (IWF) entitled, “Stroke and its Prevention” said that stroke occurs in man when the blood circulation to the brain fails.
“Five million out of the 15 million that suffer from stroke die, another five million live with it while the remaining five million get treated,” he said.
According to him, the two major causes of the disease are blockage of blood flow into the brain and blood bleeding into the brain.
Wahab, who said that hypertension accounts for between 65 and 85 percent of stroke cases in Nigeria, described this as the most common factor worldwide.
The expert described the brain as the most complex and delicate part of the human body with billions of cells controlling all other human parts.
He estimated that by 2030, 80 percent of the cases of stroke would be recorded in the low income and middle income nations of the world.
Wahab called for measures to reduce stroke and encourage its prevention among the people. “Alcoholic drinks increase the risk of both ischemic and haemorrhagic kinds of stroke and the ailment is common among the black race,” he said.
He advised that people should always engage themselves in daily body exercise, quit smoking and check their blood pressure regularly.
Other measures, he said, include taking drugs regularly if one was a hypertensive patient and keeping body weight in check.
“Avoid taking junk foods, always keep your blood pressure normal, reduce salt consumption, avoid deeply fried foods, eat vegetables and fruits always and take balanced diet,” he said.
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