Tue, May 9, 2017 at 05:00 AM
May is Stroke Awareness month
The most important fact to know about strokes is to act fast.
“If you have any symptoms of BE FAST, immediately dial 911 or get to the ER.”
That advice is from Marshall Medical’s Stroke Coordinator Ken Atchison.
“Time is brain,” he says.
The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association joined together to create an easy reminder to act fast when stroke symptoms occur. BE FAST tells you what to look for if you think you or someone has had a stroke:
B BALANCE - Loss of balance or coordination, dizziness
E EYES - Blurry, double or loss of vision in one eye
F FACE - Facial droop, uneven smile
A ARM - Arm numbness, arm weakness
S SPEECH - Slurred speech, difficulty speaking
T TIME - What time did symptoms start?
And don’t forget the importance of prevention. You can greatly reduce your chances of having a stroke by getting a yearly physical, taking medications as prescribed by your doctor exercising, eating healthy and stop smoking.
Stroke Awareness month is a great time to begin living a healthier lifestyle to prevent strokes.