From North Carolina News Service:
“FAST” Action is Vital Upon Onset of a Stroke
North Carolinians Urged to Know the Signs
by Stephanie Carroll Carson
RALEIGH, N.C. – National Stroke Awareness Month is quickly coming to a close, but it’s hoped that the lessons learned will last long beyond the end of May. Patty Clements with the American Heart Association says brain damage can mount with each passing minute, so it’s vital to know the warning signs, which can easily be remembered with the acronym FAST.
“‘F’ is for face. Is your face drooping or feeling numb? ‘A’ is for arm weakness. ‘S’ is for speech difficulty. So, if you have any one of these symptoms, ‘T’ means it is time to call 911,” Clements explains.
According to the North Carolina Stroke Association, North Carolina has one of the highest stroke death rates in the nation. It is sixth highest among the 50 states.
Clements says there are a number of ways to reduce risk for stroke, including quitting smoking, getting regular exercise and eating healthy foods. All of those lifestyle changes can help reduce high blood pressure, which is the number one controllable risk factor.
“If you lowered your top number by 10 or that bottom number by five, you can cut your risk of stroke in half. So that is the number one thing to look at. Go get a blood pressure check. Any pharmacy is going to have a free blood pressure cuff, at this point. Check it out,” she advises.
North Carolina is part of the nation’s “Stroke Belt” – an eight-to-12-state region in the southern part of the country where death rates from stroke are significantly higher than in the rest of the U.S.
More information is available at www.strokeassociation.org.
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