Stroke deaths can be cut, says specialist

SEVERAL hundred stroke victims are dying unnecessarily every year, a leading consultant warned yesterday. The provision of specialised hospital units for stroke sufferers could also reduce the risk of disability in one-in-four cases, Professor Des O’Neill said.

He criticised the Government’s failure to fund stroke units as a missed opportunity.

“For every year the Minister for Health delays the implementation of stroke units, we are losing 300-500 lives,” said Prof O’Neill.

Despite overwhelming evidence on the effectiveness of stroke units, he said hospitals were still awaiting the setting up of a first fully-functioning unit.

Prof Des O Neill, consultant geriatrician at Tallaght Hospital, said six Irish hospitals had launched initiatives to provide stroke units but had no funding. Cross-border comparisons showed 70% of sufferers were admitted to stroke units in the North compared to 5% in the Republic.

Ireland is at the top end of a European league table for deaths from cardiovascular disease. A worrying 41% die in this country from heart diseases, which is twice the European average.

Irish Heart Foundation president Dr Brian Maurer said the medical profession was concerned at the acute shortage of stroke units for patients.

“Heart disease remains our major public health problem,” he said. Figures for 2001 showed 9,500 new stroke cases which led to 2,500 deaths. Most deaths came within hours of the onset of the symptoms.

Dr Maurer said the Government’s cardiovascular strategy, published in 1999, proposed a review of stroke services in the country.

“This review has not happened and there are no plans to conduct such a review in the near future. This is totally unsatisfactory.

“All Irish people coping with the varying effects of strokes should have access to purpose-built stroke units which have proven to be of considerable benefit in other places,” he said.

The foundation’s Happy Heart weekend, from May 15-17, will be devoted to the provision of pilot initiatives for the care of stroke victims.