Spot The Signs Of A Stroke

Every 40 seconds in the U.S., a stroke occurs, and Ad Council research shows that 28% of Americans wouldn’t recognize the signs. American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA) have joined with the Ad Council to launch their first national multimedia public service campaign to raise awareness about F.A.S.T., an acronym for recognizing and responding to the sudden warning signs of stroke.

F.A.S.T. is:

• Face Drooping - Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
• Arm Weakness - Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?        
• Speech Difficulty - Is speech slurred? Is he or she unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "the sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• 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 him or her to the hospital immediately.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For more information on the campaign and how to recognize the signs of a stroke visit: www.strokeassociation.org