IHF welcomes new CVD policy

Irish Heart Foundation welcomes publication of new CVD policy after 22-month delay

26th March 2010

Ireland’s leading stroke experts have today (26th March) heard from Minister for Health Mary Harney that the long-awaited national cardiovascular strategy, originally promised in May 2008, is going to Cabinet next week. The news came as more than 200 experts gathered in Dublin to attend the 13th annual stroke conference hosted by Irish Heart Foundation Council on Stroke in Croke Park.

The national heart and stroke charity which advocates better treatment and services for stroke and cardiac patients around the country, welcomed the news but stressed the importance of sufficient funding to deliver on the forthcoming implementation plan.

Irish Heart Foundation Chief Executive Michael O’Shea said: “For nearly two years, the Irish Heart Foundation has called for the publication of the national cardiovascular strategy which will include stroke for the first time.  I welcome the Minister’s news that the policy is imminent and I hope it will mean significant improvements to stroke services for nearly 10,000 patients around the country.  Of course it is important that the Government shows commitment and backs up the strategy with the necessary funding.   This will significantly reduce death and disability from the third biggest killer in this country.  As the Minister said, reconfiguration of our hospital services has to happen and I agree that it is a ‘no-brainer’ to prioritise stroke services so we can save up to 500 people each year.”

More than 2,000 people die from stroke annually in Ireland which is more than die from breast cancer, prostate cancer and bowel cancer combined. Stroke is the leading cause of acquired adult disability in Ireland and an estimated 30,000 people are currently living with disability here as a result of stroke.

Chair of the Council on Stroke Dr Frances Horgan said: “There is more than one avoidable death from stroke occurring in Ireland every day and we know that one in five people will have a stroke in their lifetime. So the quality of our stroke services will directly or indirectly affect just about everyone living here. Today’s conference will not only look at the seriousness of the stroke situation in Ireland and globally, but it will also showcase new projects happening around the country that will drive improvements for assessing and treating stroke patients.”

The conference included presentations made on the effect of compression stockings on the risk of deep vein thrombosis, driving assessment after stroke and a family mediated exercise programme know as FAME which promotes additional exercise therapy for stroke patients delivered by family members.

Speaking at the conference, Irish Heart Foundation Head of Advocacy Chris Macey outlined plans to launch a national FAST awareness campaign to drive greater knowledge among the population of the symptoms of stroke and to highlight the need for emergency treatment in hospital for anyone suspected of having a stroke. (The FAST acronym refers to the main symptoms of stroke – Facial weakness, Arm weakness and Speech problems and Time to call 999.)

In the Irish Heart Foundation’s Stroke Manifesto launched in November 2009, a 16-point plan was outlined to eliminate avoidable death and disability from stroke. As part of their stroke campaign, the national charity fighting stroke and heart disease, is facilitating the development of a nationwide network of stroke support groups; comprehensive information provision for stroke patients and their families; and the scoping of a national stroke register.