According to the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke, the latest CSO figures showed that out of 92 stroke-related deaths in Mayo, 63 women died compared to 29 men during 2010.
Irish Heart Foundation medical director Dr Angie Brown said: “The higher death rate from stroke among women is not widely known. The fact is that stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer in Ireland and we are particularly asking women to be aware of the FAST warning signs during this year’s National Stroke Week.”
The FAST acronym stands for:
Face – has their face fallen on one side?
Arms – can they raise both arms and keep them there?
Speech – is their speech slurred?
Time – time to call 999 if you see any one of these signs.
More information about stroke and Irish Heart Foundation Stroke Week activities are available on www.stroke.ie, while medical queries can be answered through the Irish Heart Foundation’s National Heart & Stroke Helpline 1890 432 787, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm.
