Monday, May 23, 2016

How to Spot Stroke Warning Signs - 80% of Strokes are Preventable #StrokeHero


Health



You don’t need superpowers to be a #StrokeHero

May is American Stroke Month, so we’re working with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and the Ad Council to raise awareness about Stroke knowledge, prevention, and what to do in an emergency. Strokes are much more common than most people realize: A stroke happens here in the U.S. every 40 seconds. However there is good news – stroke is the No. 1 preventable cause of disability – and 80 percent of strokes are preventable.

super hero

You can be a Stroke Hero by controlling your blood pressure and other risk factors and by knowing F.A.S.T, the warning signs of stroke, so you'll know what to do and are prepared to help others know when and how to take action. 

Only 9% of us can identify all the letters in the F.A.S.T. acronym for 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-removing device. 



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.


Take the Quiz


If you know someone who could be at risk for a stroke, or even yourself – take the #StrokeHero quiz. It is fast, easy, and could save your life or the lives of people that you love.  
While stroke threatens millions of lives, it is largely preventable, treatable and beatable. Together, we can end stroke. 

Share this with your family, friends, co-workers and community by sharing on social media. You can share this post or tweet: You don’t need superpowers to be a #StrokeHero. 

Live healthier and know the F.A.S.T. warning signs, visit the official American Stroke Association site to learn more.

FTC Disclosure: Content and images in this post provided by American Stroke Association and American Heart Association. However, this blogpost is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice by a qualified professional. See complete FTC Disclosure that appears at the bottom of MBE's home page and at the bottom of every individual post including this one.

9 comments:

  1. Time is definitely of the essence when it comes to stroke care. I will be passing this information to my kids.

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  2. These tips are so greatly appreciated. Truly. My grandmother suffered a stroke and so now, I try to teach my family the signs so that they're fully aware and prepped if ever there's an emergency situation.

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  3. We thought my dad had a stroke a couple of years ago. Thankfully it wasn't but we all did a lot of research after that for the warning signs.

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  4. This is so great to make people aware of this. Time is of the essence and medical help can stop so much of the later suffering.

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  5. I remember hearing the FAST acronym in passing, but really appreciate the reminder. I definitely want to be able to help should the situation arise.

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  6. This is a great conversation to have, it's important to know the signs of a stroke!

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  7. I sounds so crazy, but my husband can get migraines that seem like a stroke. I've made him go to the ER twice... for nothing. Knowing the signs is so important, though. I told him I will always make him go because the difference in waiting and not is monumental.

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  8. Thank you for this reminder. I hope to never be in this situation but appreciate having knowledge of the signs.

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  9. These are good things to know. Strokes can be so devastating it'd be great if everyone knew what to do if they suspected one.

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