May is also Stroke Awareness Month!
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die.
Do you know how to spot the symptoms of a stroke?
Spoke a stroke FAST by using the acronym F.A.S.T.
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.
Source: “Stroke Symptoms.” Www.stroke.org, www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/stroke-symptoms.
Barrow Neurological Institute created The Barrow Emergency Stroke Treatment Unit. It is a specially equipped and staffed mobile emergency room that brings expert stroke care directly to patients, revolutionizing the way many stroke victims in Phoenix receive treatment.
Source: Mobile Stroke Unit, www.barrowneuro.org/wp-content/uploads/Mobile-Stroke-Unit_Flyer_8-2020.pdf.