May is American Stroke Month, and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association have helpful information for you to know about spotting a stroke and what to do:
Can you recognize a stroke? Learn how to F.A.S.T.
Can you recognize a stroke? Learn how to F.A.S.T.
F.A.S.T. stands for:
- F - Face Drooping - Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
- A - Arm Weakness - Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S - Speech Difficulty - Is speech slurred? Are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like: “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
- T- 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.
Facts about Strokes:
· Someone in the U.S. has a stroke about once every 40 seconds.
· Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death overall, killing more than 129,000 people a year. Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death for women and No. 5 cause of death for men.
· Stroke is the No. 1 preventable cause of disability.
· About 795,000 people have a stroke every year.
· An estimated 6.8 million Americans 20 and older have had a stroke.
Stroke Warning Sign Knowledge and Treatment:
· One in three Americans can’t recall any stroke warning signs.
· According to a survey, Hispanic women are less likely than others to know most of the warning signs of a stroke – 25% did not know any, compared to 18% for whites and 19% for African Americans.
· In a study of patients who had experienced a stroke, someone other than the patient made the decision to seek treatment in 66% of the cases, or every two in three.