Stroke Awareness: Think F.A.S.T.

When the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off due to a ruptured blood vessel or greatly reduced due to a vessel blockage, it affects and can potentially damage the functionality of brain cells. This event is called a stroke and it is a medical emergency. Seek medical attention immediately. A loss of blood supply lasting several hours or more will permanently damage or kill brain cells.

Think F.A.S.T.

• F – Face – Look at the person’s face and ask them to smile or show their teeth. A classic sign of a stroke is one-sided facial weakness. Look for signs of a drooped mouth or eye.
• A – Arms – Ask the person to close their eyes and lift their arms above their head. Stoke patients will find it difficult to raise their arms to the same height and keep them up. This is a sign of arm weakness.
• S – Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence to check for slurred speech and simple understanding of directions. A stroke patient will be confused and struggle with understanding.
• T – Time – Time is of the essence. Call 9-1-1. Stroke is a medical emergency. Do NOT wait to see if symptoms will go away. Emergency medical transport to a hospital’s emergency department is vital. Seconds count when it comes to surviving a stroke.

The good news is that recognizing the symptoms of stroke and seeking immediate treatment while it is happening can dramatically affect the outcome for many patients.

Recognizing stroke symptoms is easy with the F.A.S.T. approach. A simple one minute test can save stroke sufferers from life changing disabilities enabling more responsive treatment and care. If you or someone you know suspects the occurrence of a stroke think F.A.S.T. and ask questions.

According to the American Heart and Stroke Associations and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), each year on average a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the United States. That’s equivalent to 795,000 Americans experiencing a stroke. Of these about 610,000 are new or first time strokes.

As the 4th leading cause of death, stroke kills more than 137, 000 people a year. That’s about 1 death every 4 minutes. Although strokes are less common in females than in males, they are more fatal to women. About 60 percent of stroke deaths occur in females and 40 percent in males.

The best protection from stroke is preventative care. It’s important to know the risk factors that can be changed treated or controlled.

• High blood pressure
• Cigarette smoking
• Diabetes mellitus
• Carotid or other artery disease
• Peripheral artery
• Atrial fibrillation
• Other heart disease
• Sickle cell disease (also called sickle cell anemia)
• High blood cholesterol
• Poor diet
• Physical inactivity and obesity

Be aware. It’s good to know the factors that cannot be changed.

• Age
• Heredity (family history)
• Race
• Sex (gender)
• Prior stroke Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or heart attack