Deaths by stroke fall by over 25% in the last 7 years

Stroke deaths have been cut by more than a quarter and the rate of direct discharge to nursing homes has almost halved in the past seven years, it has emerged.

A national audit of acute stroke services carried out by the Irish Heart Foundation and the HSE shows the number of people dying from stroke in hospital has reduced from 19% to 14%.

Also, 8% of patients are now being discharged to nursing homes, compared to 15% in 2008, when a previous national audit was conducted.