Stroke is hitting Filipinos in their 30s, doctors warn

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Neurologists at the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) are urging the public to learn the risk factors and warning signs of stroke, stressing that early recognition and immediate emergency treatment can reduce its severity, prevent deaths, and improve outcomes.

Dr. Dureza Abad, an adult neurologist at WVMC, said stroke is a medical emergency that requires urgent treatment.

“Awareness is important because if the circulation of blood stops at the brain, every minute counts. Time is brain. 1.9 million neurons die every minute. If there is delay, the bigger the damage,” she said.

The figure Abad cited aligns with a widely referenced 2006 study by neurologist Jeffrey Saver, which estimated that a typical large-vessel stroke kills about 1.9 million neurons for every minute treatment is delayed.

She added that the sooner a patient reaches the hospital, is assessed by a doctor, and undergoes a brain scan, the better the chances of minimizing brain damage.

Abad said delayed treatment can lead to disability or death.

“That is why the public should know what stroke is and what we should do to avoid it,” she said.

Dr. Ryndell Alava, chairperson of neurosciences at WVMC, said stroke is the sudden onset of a focal or global neurological deficit caused by underlying vascular disease.

He said stroke is classified into two types: ischemic stroke, caused by blocked blood flow, and hemorrhagic stroke, caused by bleeding in the brain from a ruptured vessel.

“The very important keyword is ‘sudden,’ which means there is a sudden clot. If symptoms develop gradually over weeks, there is a big possibility that it is not a stroke,” he said.

The WVMC neurologists encouraged the public to remember the BEFAST acronym for early detection: Balance loss, Eye changes, Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call emergency services immediately.

WVMC data showed fluctuating stroke cases over the years, with 951 in 2017, 1,063 in 2018, and 975 in 2019, before a decline in 2020 that the hospital attributed to COVID-19 restrictions, and 200 recorded cases in 2022.

In 2024, cases rose to about 800 before climbing to more than 2,000 in 2025.

From April to May 2026, WVMC recorded an average of four to five stroke cases daily.

The hospital said most patients aged 30 to 50 arrived already in severe condition.

Cerebrovascular diseases, the clinical term for stroke, ranked as the third leading cause of death in the Philippines from January to August 2024, after ischemic heart disease and cancer, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Abad noted that stroke, once considered a condition affecting older adults, is increasingly seen among younger individuals.

“More children now are obese, hypertensive, diabetic, and their diet is not good and there is no activity. Stroke now is not just a disease of the adult but now it is the disease of any age group,” she said.

Abad also identified major risk factors, noting that about 75% of stroke cases are linked to underlying conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and stress.

“Individuals at high risk are those with underlying conditions. Stroke is not really a disease itself but a manifestation of underlying problems. If we know our risk factors and control them, there is a lower chance of experiencing stroke,” she said.

Alava called on the public to prioritize prevention, stressing that most stroke cases can be avoided through proper management of risk factors and healthier lifestyle choices.

“Prevention is very important. About 80 percent of strokes can be prevented. Out of every 100 people who suffer from stroke, 80 cases could have been avoided. How? By controlling risk factors,” Alava said.

He emphasized regular monitoring of key health indicators, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, body mass index, and waist circumference.

He added that prevention requires consistent lifestyle discipline, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, stress management, mental wellness, and healthy social interactions.