RIYADH, 24 May 2003 — Though the incidence of strokes in the Kingdom, at 30 per 100,000 of the population annually, remains much lower than the international average of 150, obesity and hypertension — potential risk factors associated with strokes — are on the upswing.
This wake-up call was given by Dr. Waleed Khoja, consultant neurologist at the Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, at a conference on Thursday on “Reversing the Rising Incidence of Stroke” held at the Prince Salman Social Center.
Saudi Stroke Day will be observed every year on May 22 coinciding with World Stroke Day, it was announced.
“We are not looking at the current problem,” Dr. Khoja said. “We are looking at a problem in the near future, because of the presence of high-risk factors.
“The lifestyle of Saudi youth has got to change. Otherwise, the incidence of stroke could become a serious problem in future, especially with an increase in the aging population. We also need to have a better control over diabetes and high blood pressure.”
He said a high-calorie diet together with lack of regular exercise could place people at risk of getting a stroke at a later stage. His message was: Eat light, and lead an active life.
“Of course I am not saying that because a child is obese he’ll have a stroke. What I am saying is that if he is obese now, he will be obese tomorrow, and obese at the age of 60. He is then at risk of suffering a stroke.”
Another risk factor among children, he pointed out, was the prevalence of sickle cell disease in parts of the Kingdom, which could make them vulnerable to stroke. Even so, the incidence of stroke or paralysis was higher among the elderly.
Earlier, Dr. Ibrahim Alshowaier, director general of Medical and Pharmaceutical Licenses at the Ministry of Health and the guest of honor, said the directorate of medical and pharmaceutical licenses was registering 10 to 15 drugs, both generic and branded, every week. The advantage of generic drugs was that they were cheaper than the brand products, he added.
