May is National Stroke Awareness Month

Philadelphia, Pa. – Did you know that more than 700,000 individuals suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year and that stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing 167,000 people annually?  Now, can you identify at least one symptom of stroke?

According to the National Stroke Association (NSA), fewer than one in five Americans can identify even one stroke symptom. If you cannot recognize the symptoms of stroke, a catchy acronym may help you learn F.A.S.T.

Recognizing when stroke is occurring and reacting F.A.S.T. to get treatment can save the lives of the men and women in your life.

Many stroke patients—and their families—have no idea a stroke is occurring because brain cells are dying quickly and are impeding judgment. Learning to recognize a stroke is important and easy, just think F.A.S.T.:

FACE – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS – Ask the person to hold both arms up evenly. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH – Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are their words slurred or mixed up?
TIME – If the person shows any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately. Brain cells are dying.

“Time is critical,” says Loretta M. McLaughlin, chief operating officer at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. “New drugs are available, which in the case of a Stroke caused by a blood clot, can actually reverse damage if administered within three hours. In the case of a stroke caused by bleeding, timely intervention by a neurosurgeon or treatment by a neurologist is critical to minimize damage.”

While statistics show stroke is taking a toll on the American public, the good news is that 80 percent of strokes are preventable. Stop smoking, keep blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes under control, and manage atrial fibrillation (a condition where the heart beats irregularly) to reduce stroke risk. And remember to think F.A.S.T.