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Brain & Heart

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE
Stroke risk among Nigerians with diabetes and

hypertension: A pilot retrospective cohort study

Abba Musa Abbdullahi * , and Usman Auwalu Isah 2
1
1 Department of Life Sciences, University of South Wales, Wales, United Kingdom
2 Department of Retainership, National Orthopaedic Hospital Dala, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide, often leaving survivors with
severe disabilities. In sub-Saharan Africa, strokes remain prevalent among individuals
with diabetes, hypertension (HTN), or both, significantly impacting the health, social
stability, and economic well-being of families and communities. This study aimed to
assess the risk of stroke development in Nigerian individuals diagnosed with both
diabetes and HTN. The research included diabetic and hypertensive patients who
attended the outpatient clinics at Imam Halliru and Imam Wali General Hospitals in
Kano between January 2015 and August 2020. Patient data were manually extracted
from hospital records. Regression and correlation analyses were conducted to
compare the stroke risk between patients with either diabetes or HTN and those
with both conditions. Among the 933 participants, 200 exhibited clinical features
consistent with the World Health Organization definition of stroke. Of these,
85 (37.5%) had HTN, 67 (33.5%) had diabetes, and 58 (29%) had both conditions.
*Corresponding author:
Abba Musa Abdullahi Unemployment, female gender, advanced age, diabetes, and HTN were identified
(74110692@students.southwales. as factors associated with an increased stroke risk in the unadjusted analysis. The
ac.uk) findings highlight a significantly higher stroke risk for Nigerians with both diabetes
Citation: Abbdullahi AM, Isah and HTN. Therefore, strict blood pressure control for hypertensive patients and
UA. Stroke risk among Nigerians rigorous blood sugar management for diabetic patients is critical.
with diabetes and hypertension:
A pilot retrospective cohort study.
Brain & Heart. 2025;3(1):5722. Keywords: Stroke; Diabetes; Risk; Nigeria
doi: 10.36922/bh.5722
Submitted: October 30, 2024
Revised: December 16, 2024 1. Introduction
Accepted: December 17, 2024
Stroke is a preventable medical condition associated with high rates of morbidity and
Published online: January 6, 2025
mortality, often resulting in both physical and mental disabilities. Globally, stroke ranks as
1
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). the second leading cause of death and the third most common cause of disability, placing a
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the significant burden on health systems, populations, and individuals. Its incidence has been
Creative Commons Attribution estimated to rise steadily over the past 25 years and is projected to continue increasing in
License, permitting distribution, the coming decades. Stroke is one of the most common and severe brain disorders, with
2
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is devastating consequences that demand a multidisciplinary approach to management. It
properly cited. is highly prevalent in both developing and developed nations, characterized by a high
Publisher’s Note: AccScience recurrence rate, and is responsible for approximately 5 million deaths globally each
Publishing remains neutral with year. Approximately 25.7 million people worldwide are currently living with stroke,
3
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional with nearly 71% of cases being ischemic. Stroke accounts for approximately 6.5 million
affiliations. deaths annually, while around 113 million individuals live with stroke-related disabilities.

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/bh.5722