Vital Link | winter 2009

If You Suspect a Stroke, Act Fast

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. North Carolina has the seventh highest stroke death rate in the U.S., which is two times the national average. Even so, many people in our community remain unaware of stroke’s risk factors, warning signs, and the importance of getting rapid help.

How to Act FAST

People may have a hard time remembering long symptom lists. The acronym FAST combines three common stroke warning signs with a plan of rapid action.

F= Face numbness or weakness, especially on one side—Does the face look uneven? Ask them to smile.

A= Arm numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body—Does one arm drift down? Ask them to raise both arms.

S= Speech slurring or difficulty speaking or understanding—Does their speech sound strange? Ask them to repeat a phrase, such as “The cow jumped over the moon.”

T= Time to call 911, if these symptoms occur suddenly or accompany vision problems, loss of balance, dizziness, or a sudden, severe headache. Every second counts because brain cells die.

Treat these symptoms as a 911 emergency, even if they disappear after a few minutes. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack, is a ministroke that may raise the risk for a later stroke.

Who Suffers a Stroke?

Most strokes happen to people age 65 or older. But a stroke can happen at any age. And a woman faces extra risks, due to hormone changes of pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. In a recent study in Neurology, women ages 45 to 54 were more than twice as likely to report having survived a previous stroke than were men in that age group. In addition to or instead of the symptoms listed above, a woman having a stroke may experience sudden hiccups, nausea, fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, and a racing heartbeat.

Cutting Your Risk

You can lower your own risk for stroke by:

Keeping your blood pressure in check
Controlling your diabetes, if necessary
Quitting smoking, if you smoke
Exercising every day to promote circulation and a healthy weight
Knowing your numbers with cholesterol screenings—when you have higher cholesterol levels, you will have more plaque formations in your body
Eating a balanced, low-fat diet
Limiting alcohol

For questions on preventing and treating stroke, please call Toni Bartlett, R.N., Stroke Center Coordinator at Caldwell Memorial Hospital at 828-757-5546 or e-mail toni.bartlett@caldwell-mem.org.

F=	Face numbness or weakness, especially on one side—Does the face look uneven? Ask them to smile.
A=	Arm numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body—Does one arm drift down? Ask them to raise both arms.
S=	Speech slurring or difficulty speaking or understanding—Does their speech sound strange? Ask them to repeat a phrase, such as “The cow jumped over the moon.”
T=	Time to call 911, if these symptoms occur suddenly or accompany vision problems, loss of balance, dizziness, or a sudden, severe headache. Every second counts because brain cells die.