The Ghana Society of Cardiology has indicated an increasing prevalence of stroke among young individuals.
To address this concern, the Society is intensifying efforts to raise public awareness regarding the dangers associated with unhealthy habits and the significance of consistent exercise.
During the Annual General Scientific Meeting held in Accra on February 22, 2024, Vice President of the Ghana Society of Cardiology, Dr. Francis Agyekum said cardiovascular diseases frequently go undetected as they are not typically accompanied by noticeable symptoms.
“Formerly, we used to say that atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases were the disease of the rich country but now we are seeing a number of them. You can attest to the fact that you are hearing a lot of stroke cases. If you go outside, they are more elderly but in Ghana, we are seeing more of the people in the productive age group.
“Our patients are younger if you compare that to the United States or the UK. My youngest patient that came with a heart attack was 27 years old,” he said.
Dr. Agyekum attributed the surge in cardiovascular diseases to lifestyle shifts, particularly in dietary preferences.
He said increasing number of people are opting for processed and fast foods while reducing their intake of fruits and vegetables, consequently contributing to the escalation of cardiovascular diseases.
“People are now eating more energy-dense meals, fast foods, cholesterol, excessive salt intake. People are eating less of fruits and vegetables. People are not exercising. In fact there are people who wake up from their bed, sit in their cars, go to work and then come back sit behind the television and sleep,” he said.