Stroke Awareness - 5/25

May is National Stroke Awareness month

Stroke Awareness

May is National Stroke Awareness month. Organized by the National Stroke Association, this program’s goal is to save lives through education. Education focuses on stroke symptoms, risk factors, preventative measures, with an emphasis on acting FAST. Acting FAST is imperative to save someone’s life. Stroke is the second most common cause of death worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of death resulting in serious, long-term disability for adults in the United States. Receiving treatment within 60 minutes of the start of symptoms can help prevent or lessen disability. 

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or ruptures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, causing the brain cells to the immediate area to die. Symptoms depend on the amount of blockage, and length of time blocked. For that reason, symptoms of stroke can vary from mild to severe. Below are the five most common symptoms of stroke:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding others
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes 
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
The term FAST is used to quickly identify warning signs of stroke. A stroke is a medical emergency, therefore learning these FAST-warning signs could save a life. If you believe someone is having a stroke, suddenly loses the ability to speak, or move an arm or leg on one side, or experiences facial paralysis on one side, call 911 immediately. The FAST-warning signs are listed below.

Face Drooping

Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven or lopsided?

Arm Weakness

Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech

Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.

Time to Call 9-1-1

If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately. Take note of when symptoms first started this is helpful for the treatment of stroke.