Stroke Symptoms - Be prepared to act F.A.S.T

Know about the signs and symptoms of stroke (FAST - Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call). By knowing these symptoms of strokes, might save your life or someone else. Also, read how to prevent stroke.

Strokes happen when blood flow is restricted to the brain, usually because of a clot in an artery. The key to surviving a stroke is early detection and immediate emergency treatment. To recognize and act on the symptoms of a stroke immediately, therefore, an easy-to-remember acronym was developed: F.A.S.T

Act F.A.S.T.

Face: Ask the person to smile. Look whether one side of their face droop.

Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase and listen to whether their speech is slurred

Time: If you observe any of these signs, Time is of the essence. Call medical help immediately.

Other Symptoms

Other than the symptoms above, there are other signs to look for as well. These include:

• Severe/sudden headache
• Difficulty walking, loss of coordination or balance, or dizziness
• Confusion
• Difficulty understanding speech or speaking
• Numbness or weakening strength in the arms, legs, or face

Are strokes preventable?

Strokes are indeed preventable if you take into concern certain factors. Follow a healthy diet, exercise, avoid stress and excessive usage of alcohol.

Keep in mind not to get panic. If you see anyone experiencing a stroke, call medical assistance immediately and note the time if possible. This will help emergency medical personnel to know if the person is still within the initial four hours (4.5 hours exactly) of the stroke.

To conclude, as you can see, a stroke is a brain attack and hence it’s important to know and recognize the symptoms, no matter how brief or mild they may be. So act F.A.S.T.

PS: At VPS Lakeshore, we provide facilities for IV Thrombolysis and Mechanical Thrombectomy for Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS).

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