MANY stroke sufferers miss out on a lifesaving de-clotting drug and four in 10 get treated in general wards rather than specialist stroke units, an advocacy group says.
Stroke is Australia's second-largest killer and many of the 350,000 survivors live with a disability and struggle with basic daily tasks such as eating and cooking.
The National Stroke Foundation is lobbying the federal government and opposition to commit to a $198 million action plan to boost services and increase awareness of how to prevent stroke and recognise the signs of stroke.
Chief executive Erin Lalor says many patients who attend hospital with stroke don't get access to de-clotting thrombolysis drugs that must be administered within four hours.
"If the hospital is too slow or people delay presentation to hospital they can't have it," she told AAP.
"It's a lifesaving drug."
She said four in 10 people were treated for stroke in general wards, rather than specialist units, and this increased their chances of death or disability.
A number of major hospitals, particularly in Queensland, don't have specialist stroke units, Dr Lalor said.
As part of the plan, the foundation wants the government to spend $121 million extra over three years to fund more stroke units and boost the quality of existing care.
They want a national rollout of a pharmacy health-check program, currently funded by the NSW and Queensland governments, which involves a free blood pressure and diabetes check. Pharmacists then advise people whether they need to go to their GP for more testing.
When Lina Brohier had a stroke in 2008 at age 31, a transient ischemic attack followed, making her dizzy, heavy and voiceless.
The attack passed and she didn't go to the doctor.
"If there was more information and advertising about stroke maybe people like me would be prevented from having a stroke," she told AAP.
"You think ... it's not going to happen to me; it's something that happens to old people."
The stroke left her with no muscle movement on the right side of her body.
After extensive rehabilitation and occupational therapy, Ms Brohier made a full recovery.
Dr Lalor said people over the age of 45 should be able to get an integrated check for their risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease when they visit their GPs.
She said there also needs to be more support for people living with stroke, as well as their carers.
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