An extra 750 stroke victims could be saved from death or lifelong dependency every year by improvements in services, which would save the taxpayer money, according to a new report.
It says the current cost of care could be reduced by up to €13m a year if there was general access to stroke unit care and assessment for the clot-busting treatment, Thrombolysis.
The report was compiled for the Irish Heart Foundation by the ESRI and the Royal College of Surgeons.
It says the savings would be achieved through better patient outcomes and reduced demand for nursing home care, which accounts for 40% of the overall cost of stroke.
The report says that the annual bill for stroke is close to €1bn.
Chief Executive of the Irish Heart Foundation Michael O'Shea said there was a huge scale of avoidable death and institutionalisation caused by the inadequacies in acute, rehabilitation and support services for stroke patients around the country.
The report describes the absence of stroke services as 'pitiful', with the State spending on average just over €200 a year on each stroke survivor, despite their often complex therapy needs.
Each year over 10,000 people suffer a stroke and 2,000 people die from the condition.
An estimated 30,000 people live with a disability as a result of stroke.
