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THE NUMBER OF stroke deaths in Ireland has fallen below the 2,000 mark for the first time in years, following a 9 per cent fall in mortality in the last four years, figures revealed today.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures showed the number of deaths nationally fell by 188 to 1,928 to the end of 2012 despite our ageing population and a dramatic increase globally in the incidence of the disease. The figures also confirmed that almost twice as many women as men died from stroke.
Today on World Stroke Day the Irish Heart Foundation issued a ‘Red Alert’ to women to be vigilant about the warning signs of stroke after the statistics revealed that 53 per cent more women than men died from stroke here in 2012.
The charity’s spokesperson Chris Macey said: “The higher death rate from stroke among women is not widely known. The fact is that stroke kills almost twice as many women as breast cancer in Ireland which is why we are particularly asking women to make a special effort to be aware of the FAST warning signs today on World Stroke Day.”
The F.A.S.T. acronym stands for:
“By knowing the warning signs, people can have a huge influence on their outcome after stroke, but only if they act on them,” Macey said. “The average stroke destroys roughly two million brain cells every minute, so the quicker you get to hospital after a stroke, literally the more of your brain can be saved. But you have to call an ambulance immediately. There’s no advantage in knowing the signs if you don’t act on them.”
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It’s okay! The Irish lads were only interested in the “crack”.
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: *craic
@Fank Pulman: crack cocaine is known as ‘crack’…
@Fank Pulman: ah leave him alone he was only trying to crack a joke …
@Fank Pulman: he did use exclamation marks for a reason.
@Fank Pulman: I’m referring to the crack that can be caused by an earthquake. Near Ephesus it is possible to see a huge crack in a mountain that was caused by a previous earthquake. Crack was a pun on craic!!
@Greg Blake: thank God some one spotted it!! I will have to change my name to Mr. Mark Exclamation!!!!
Anybody who goes on holiday to that hellhole turkey is not bothered by earthquakes.
@Dave Hogan: never been to Turkey. Why is it a hellhole?
@john culhane: if I said if you stick your hand in a fire you would get burned would you announce you never tried it?
@Dave Hogan: JC just asked a simple question…pity…
@Dave Hogan: The Irish used to keep Kusadasi in business not that long ago. It was also a handy package to spend time in the jewel that is Ephesus.
@john culhane: Turkey is a beautiful country with fabulous history, scenery, food and the kindest people on the planet. We have been going to Bodrum region for years. I can only assume the previous commentor has never been.
And God made the World.
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