Did you know that stroke is the fifth leading cause of death. It is also the leading preventable case of disability in the US? Every year, about 800,000 Americans suffer a new or have a recurrent stroke. Someone in the world has a stroke every 2 seconds.
World Stroke Day is Thursday, 10/29. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and the Ad Council are working to raise awareness about Stroke knowledge, prevention, and what to do in an emergency. Why does it matter?
- 1 in 6 people will have a stroke in their lifetime.
- 1 in 3 Americans cannot name at least one sign of stroke.
- When you recognize a stroke and immediately call 9-1-1, the person has a greater chance of getting to an appropriate hospital quickly and being assessed for treatment options like a clot-busting drug or clot-busting device.
It is extremely important that everyone knows the signs of a stroke FAST.
How to spot a stroke F.A.S.T. (the warning signs):
- 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. www.
StrokeAssociation.org/ warningsigns
Join the @American Stroke Twitter Chat! It will be hosted by @iHeartRadio on 10/29 at 12pm CT. The hashtag is #StrokeChat. Hear other people’s F.A.S.T. Songs, share your own, and join us for a great discussion about stroke! Be sure to tune in and learn more about preventing strokes, how to spot them and what to do. There will also be giveaways.
THIS is a GREAT reminder to many! I forgot the signs but once I read it came back to me! It is great to be reminded and very important.
Thanks for the info! Those kind of tidbits are always helpful to have on hand.
What a great post for information. It is so important to be prepared and know the signs of stroke.
This is great information. I think it’s important for everyone to know!! I have known a few people that have had a stroke.
This is such important information. I’m so glad to know this acronym now because it’s easy to remember when looking for signs.