More Westmeath women than men die from stroke

The Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) is urging women to be extra vigilant about stroke warning signs after new statistics revealed that 37% more women than men are dying from the disease in Westmeath.National Stroke Week is April 16-22.The latest CSO figures showed that out of 38 stroke-related deaths in Westmeath, 22 women died compared to 16 men during 2010.Nationally, the average stroke death rate was around 50% higher for women. In total 1,258 women died from stroke during 2010 out of a total of 2,053 stroke fatalities nationwide.The IHF asking people to be aware of the FAST warning signs during this year's National Stroke Week:FAST is:• 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.According to Irish Heart Foundation medical director Dr Angie Brown, the main reason more women die from stroke is that they live longer than men, resulting in a greater likelihood of being affected by the disease (though other factors are also at play).National Heart and Stroke Helpline 1890 432 787, Mon-Fri, 10am-5pmwww.stroke.ie