Stroke Awareness
National Stroke Awareness Month - May
Experiencing a medical emergency can be a frightening situation. This is especially true if you don't have the training and knowledge to help. Life Saving Certified is committed to educating the public to assure you can stay calm and make smart choices that can save lives.
May is National Stroke Awareness month. In honor, Life Saving Certified wants you to know the early warning signs of a stroke so that you can have the knowledge to help save a life.
The warning signs of a stroke come F.A.S.T.
F - Face Drooping - Ask the person to smile, if one side of the individuals face droops or is numb, this is a warning sign.
A - Arm Weakness - Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S - Speech Difficulty - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "cows eat grass," If they are unable to speak, or hard to understand you should move on the the next step.
T - Time to call 9-1-1 - If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms seem to go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
It is also helpful to take note of the time the first symptoms appeared. If the patient gets to a hospital quickly, many have up to a three hour window to reverse effects.
This acronym will help you to spot a stroke F.A.S.T.
Additional Stroke Information.
A Stroke is also referred to as a "brain attack" because much like a heart attack is caused by a lack of blood supply to the heart, a stroke is caused by a lack of blood supply to the brain. The term brain attack also used to conveys a more urgent call for action and emergency medical education by the general public.
A stroke can happen to anyone, at any time. Strokes occurs when blood flow to the brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die.
How much a person is effected by a stroke will depends on where the stroke occurred in the brain; As well as how much the brain is damaged. Some individuals who experience small ischemic stroke may only have minor problems like temporary numbness and weakness their arm or leg. People who have more a severe stroke may typically be permanently paralyzed on one side of their body or lose their ability to speak. When treated quickly individuals may recover completely from strokes, but more than 2/3 of survivors will have some type of disability.
There are two types of stroke, hemorrhagic and ischemic.
Hemorrhagic strokes are less common, only 15 percent of all strokes are hemorrhagic, but they are responsible for about 40 percent of all stroke deaths.
Ischemic strokes occur when a blood vessel carrying blood to the brain is blocked, often by a clot. This causes blood not to reach the brain. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for this type of stroke. Ischemic strokes account for about 87% of all strokes.
A transient ischemic attack or TIA is a also called a "mini-stroke" because it produces stroke-like symptoms. A TIA has symptoms that only last a few minutes. If left untreated, people who have TIAs have a higher risk of stroke. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce the risk of a major stroke. Treatment of a transient ischemic attack include blood thinners, cardiac monitoring and self-care. In the case of a suspected TIA immediately call 9-1-1 so an ambulance can be sent. Also, check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared.
Other Symptoms You Should Know
numbness or weakness of the leg
confusion or trouble understanding
Blurry vision or trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Like and follow our page for a promo code to receive a 10% discount for National Stroke Awareness Month.
Sources
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/911-Warnings-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_305346_SubHomePage.jsp
http://www.stroke.org/understand-stroke/what-stroke
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1278172/Stroke-victims-hour-window-clot-busting-drug-Alteplase.html