Getting the right treatment for a stroke within three hours improves a patient's odds of a good outcome by 75%, a major new study has found.

The study was highlighted by the Irish Heart Foundation during National FAST Week, which runs from August 11-17.

The FAST awareness campaign aims to educate people about the signs of a stroke. It stands for:
-Face - has the person's face fallen on one side?
-Arms - can they raise both arms and keep them there?
-Speech - is their speech slurred?
-Time - it is time to call 999 if any of these signs are present.

According to the findings of the study, which were published in The Lancet medical journal, if clot-busting thrombolysis treatment for ischaemic stroke is received within three hours, the odds of a good outcome jump by 75%.

A good outcome was considered a patient who was living symptom-free, or who only had residual symptoms with no loss of activity, three to six months after their stroke.

The study was the biggest of its kind ever carried out and it involved analysing data from all major trials that looked at thrombolysis treatment in relation to ischaemic stroke.

Almost 10,000 people suffer a stroke in Ireland every year and ischaemic strokes are the most common type. They are caused by a sudden blockage in the blood vessels (arteries) supplying the brain, by a blood clot (thrombus).

The research noted that older people who received timely treatment enjoyed similar benefits to younger people and major benefits were even found in those who had suffered a severe stroke. It also found that patients who received thrombolysis treatment between three and four-and-a-half hours later also increased their recovery odds by 26%.

"This research shows that every minute counts when stroke strikes. The quicker a patient gets to hospital and gets treated after a stroke, the better chance they will have of minimising or even eliminating its disabling impact. Time and dialing 999 are of the essence," commented stroke physician and Irish Heart Foundation spokeswoman, Dr Rachael Doyle.

Since the launch of the foundation's FAST campaign four years ago, awareness of stroke warning signs has increased among the public from 30% to 87%. However recent research revealed that only half of people would immediately call an ambulance if they suffered a stroke.

"Others said they would call a family member, their GP, or even make a cup of tea and hope the symptoms went away if they suffered a stroke. But stroke is a medical emergency and as the research shows, failing to get to hospital immediately will massively increase the risk of severe disability and death following a stroke," Dr Doyle added.

For more information on stroke, see here