You could save the life of someone you love. Time is everything during a stroke. In fact, there is a saying that “time lost is brain lost.”
Stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. Brain cells die at a rate of 1.9 million per minute after a stroke, so the sooner blood flow can be restored, the better their chances of survival and a better recovery.
If you, or someone with you, experiences any of these signs, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number FAST.
FAST is an easy and memorable way to remember the major signs of stroke:
- F - Face, is it drooping?
- A - Arms, can you raise them?
- S - Speech, is it slurred or jumbled?
- T - Time to call 9-1-1 right away.
Don‘t drive yourself or the person having a stroke to the hospital – an ambulance will get you to the closest hospital that provides urgent stroke care. The emergency medical services will be able to determine which hospital in your area can best help.
Treatments can reduce the severity of a stroke and reverse some of its effects, and it's important that they are given as quickly as possible.
More signs of stroke
The FAST signs are the most common signs of stroke and are more likely to be caused by stroke than any other condition. There are additional signs of stroke that some people experience. They include:
- vision changes - blurred or double vision
- sudden severe headache – usually accompanied by some of the other signs
- numbness - usually on one side of the body
- problems with balance
Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability with nearly 1 million people in Canada currently living with stroke and more than 108,000 strokes occur each year - or approximately one every five minutes.
We can all beat stroke. Share the signs and help save lives.
Tools:
- Video – Witness
- Video – Michael’s story
- Video – Max - Lifesaving treatment
- Video – Max - Know the signs
- Poster
For more information, visit heartandstroke.ca/FAST