A RECENT campaign to improve public awareness of the signs of stroke has helped save lives by encouraging earlier attendance at emergency departments, research to be presented today suggests.
The study by researchers from the department of psychology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland looked at the effects of the first mass media stroke awareness campaign in the Republic – the Irish Heart Foundation’s Act Fast campaign – which began last May.
They found an 83 per cent increase in hospital admissions due to suspected stroke and a two-thirds increase in people attending emergency departments within the crucial three-hour period after the onset of symptoms of stroke.
The foundation launched the €1 million Act Fast campaign to highlight the key signs of stroke, which affects 10,000 people in the Republic each year.
The acronym “Fast” stands for: Face – has the person’s face fallen on one side? Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there? Speech – is it slurred? Time – it’s time to call 999 if you see any of these signs.
By measuring admissions to Beaumont and Blanchardstown hospitals, Dr Anne Hickey and her team found 11 extra admissions a week for suspected stroke.
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