Cerebral infarctions are occurring in an increasingly younger population.

More and more young people are experiencing strokes. The possible causes include poor lifestyle, constant stress, lack of restful sleep, poor diet, and high exposure to technology .

In the context of World Brain Day, celebrated every July 22 , emergency physician Daniel Sánchez Arreola noted that strokes in young people have increased alarmingly in Mexico and around the world, due to the aforementioned factors, but also to the increase in the consumption of psychoactive substances.

"These drugs can cause a sudden contraction of blood vessels in the brain , which increases the risk of stroke, even at an early age," the member of the Mexican Society of Emergency Medicine (SMME) warned in a statement.

He explained that in Mexico, in 2024 alone, 18,019 deaths from cerebrovascular diseases were recorded, making these conditions the seventh leading cause of death nationwide.

Furthermore, according to the Ministry of Health , 170,000 cases of stroke are recorded each year, and although the majority of deaths have been in people over 65, cases are now occurring at younger ages.

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"Ten years ago, these diseases were characteristic of the population over 60 or 65 years old . But now, at 45, it's common for people to suffer from chronic illnesses like hypertension or diabetes, which can be a precursor to a stroke," he emphasized.

The specialist said that it is important to take preventive and care measures at all ages, since those who survive these events are very likely to have some type of disability depending on the area of the brain that has been affected.

He recalled that brain health has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a global health priority , as up to 90% of brain infarctions , also known as cerebrovascular events (CVE), 40% of dementia cases, and 25% of epilepsy cases can be prevented with timely action and adequate public education.

The specialist emphasized the importance of prevention and timely diagnosis of brain diseases, which, he said, are essential to ensuring a good quality of life and reducing the burden of these diseases in Mexico and around the world.

Finally, he emphasized the need to disseminate the CAMALEÓN strategy, an educational tool that facilitates the early identification of a stroke.

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"The acronym helps us remember the most common symptoms: CA: droopy face, MA: heavy hand, LE: tongue-tied, ON: Take action! and call 911 or take the patient to a hospital, citing symptoms of a stroke," he explained.

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