Why stroke is affecting more young Nigerians – Researcher

More young Nigerians are now suffering strokes, an illness once associated with older adults, raising concern among medical experts about shifting lifestyles and overlooked risk factors.

A stroke is a medical emergency marked by a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain, caused either by a blockage or bleeding.

Nicholas Aderinto, a neuroscience expert, explained that changes in lifestyle, rising cases of untreated hypertension, and increased use of recreational drugs are among the factors pushing more young Nigerians into the high-risk category for stroke.

Mr Aderinto noted that many young people are having strokes without realising it, due to poor attention to health and general lack of concern.

“Usually, we see strokes in the elderly aged 60 and above. But these days, we’re seeing what we call strokes in the young. People under 40 are now being diagnosed, and it’s because of all the risk factors that predispose what we commonly should see in adults,” he said.

Types of stroke

According to Mr Aderinto, a stroke occurs when part of the brain is deprived of adequate blood supply, either through a blockage or a blood vessel rupture.

“Imagine a stone blocking a pipe that brings water and nutrients to the brain and nothing gets through. That’s what happens in ischaemic stroke,” he said.

“The second type is hemorrhagic stroke, where the pipe bursts and blood leaks into the brain. In both cases, the affected part of the brain can no longer function properly.”

He also mentioned a lesser-known third type of transient ischaemic attack (TIA), which presents temporary symptoms but can signal a major stroke ahead.

“It’s like when the pipe is blocked briefly, and the blockage gets dislodged. The person might lose consciousness or control over an arm briefly, but everything returns to normal quickly. It’s easy to ignore, but it’s a yellow card.

If it happens again, it could be a red card,” he added.

Youth factor

The neurologist attributed the rising incidence of stroke in young Nigerians to shifting lifestyle patterns and environmental changes.

He noted that Africans once had a unique diet and way of life but have now adopted Western lifestyles that discourage physical activity and promote diets high in processed and fried foods.

“All of these are predisposing the younger ones to start having diseases like hypertension. Before now, hypertension usually was a thing of adult diabetes. But this is a result of some of the lifestyles we’ve adopted in terms of diet, exercise and all the other lifestyles altogether,” he said.

“A lot of substances are now out there that people are consuming in large quantities, but there has been a level of awareness and a level of reporting too on undiagnosed hypertension.”

Prevention, more awareness

Mr Aderinto advised Nigerians to adopt heart and brain-healthy habits: regular exercise, balanced diets, avoiding smoking and herbal remedies, and monitoring blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

He explained that stroke requires immediate medical attention, but many Nigerians delay hospital visits, often due to misconceptions.

“We’ve had cases where people first go to small clinics or prayer houses. When they eventually come to a tertiary hospital, it’s too late for certain interventions that could have saved brain tissue and reduced disability.”

Speaking on cultural beliefs, he stated that a lack of health education continues to fuel poor outcomes in stroke cases.

“Even with hypertension, which is a leading cause of stroke, many people believe once their blood pressure is normal, they can stop taking medication. Without proper counseling, they stop the drugs and, ten years later, they come down with a stroke.”

While acknowledging the impact of health education via social media, the neurologist stressed that much more needs to be done, especially in rural communities.

He said, “We’ve come a long way, especially online. But we overestimate how many Nigerians are even on Twitter or Facebook. The average person in a rural area isn’t seeing these campaigns. We need to go beyond Instagram and take health education directly into communities.”

He urged health authorities to prioritise grassroots campaigns and community-based screening initiatives.