DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 December) — Dabawenyos, particularly those with hypertension and diabetes, have been reminded to be mindful of the food they eat and their alcohol intake during Christmas and New Year celebrations to avoid stroke, which remains the third leading cause of death in the Philippines.
Dr. Matthew Rex A. Madayag, a fellow of the Philippine Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine who is also a consultant at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), said that the government-run hospital normally does not see an increase in stroke cases in December, but added that the number of patients surges post-holiday.
He said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City on Monday (December 15) that some factors causing stroke include diet, lifestyle, and stress, noting that the government hospital also sees an increasing trend of stroke cases among patients in their 30s, partly due to excessive alcohol consumption.
“By January or February, patients usually flock to undergo therapy as a result of the holiday season, particularly due to food and alcohol consumption. It causes an increase in the census of stroke patients,” Madayag said.
He said patients with a history of hypertension and diabetes should maintain a low-salt and low-carbohydrate diet even during holiday celebrations.
Based on its report “Heartbreaking Numbers: Understanding the Philippines’ Leading Causes of Death” released on March 19, 2025, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said that cerebrovascular diseases, more commonly known as stroke, were the third most common cause of death in the country in 2024.
According to PSA, a stroke disrupts brain function, which happens “when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or by a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke),” potentially leading to paralysis, speech difficulties, and even death.
It said risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, and a family history of stroke.
The leading cause of death in the Philippines, according to the agency, was ischemic heart disease, followed by neoplasm or cancer.
From January to August 2024, the PSA reported 60,253 deaths from ischemic heart diseases, accounting for 19.8 percent of the total; 33,910 deaths from neoplasms or 11.1 percent of the total; and 30,552 deaths from cerebrovascular diseases or stroke or 10 percent of the total deaths.
Aside from these diseases, other leading causes of death in the country were pneumonia with 19,842 cases and diabetes mellitus with 19,214 cases.
“These statistics are more than just numbers; they are a call to action. They highlight the urgent need for Filipinos to prioritize their health. While some factors like genetics are beyond our control, many of the leading causes of death are linked to lifestyle choices,” it said.
It encouraged people to keep a healthy lifestyle, noting that a “balanced diet, regular exercise, and avoiding smoking can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer.”
Jesse Boga, lifestyle writer and apprentice Pilates instructor, recommended doing simple workouts daily and encouraged making intentional movement a habit.
He said that it’s easy to give in to the idea that holiday celebrations are “all about indulgences and letting loose, binge eating and drinking,” but added that people should take control of their holiday participation “by being intentional with our choices.”
“I like to reframe my holiday mood with this: living life feeling agile, strong, carefree, and without disease is the celebration. Reconnecting with peers, friends, and loved ones is the best holiday gift,” he said.
Madayag said the SPMC accommodates around 100 new patients each week, many of whom are stroke survivors, while others have sports-related injuries, undergoing physical therapy at its Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Institute.
He said the hospital utilizes robotic devices to ensure a faster recovery of stroke survivors, such as robotic gait training (R-Gait), robotic force (R-Force), and robotic touch (R-Touch).
Madayag said R-Gait and R-Force are tools that can help stroke patients regain their ability to walk, while R-Touch helps in the recovery of the upper extremities. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
