Stroke Paralysis

• - Ischemic (caused by a blockage in an artery).
• - Hemorrhagic (caused by a tear in the artery's wall that produces bleeding into or around the brain).

The consequences of a stroke, the type of functions affected, and the severity, depend on where in the brain it has occurred and the extent of the damage.

Signs of Stroke

• - Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• - Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding .
• - Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• - Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination .
• - Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

F.A.S.T.

The acronym FAST is an easy way to remember signs of stroke and what to do if you think a stroke has occurred. (The most important is to immediately call for emergency assistance.

FAST Stands for :

• - (F)ACE. Ask the person to smile. Check to see if one side of the face droops.
• - (A)RMS. Ask the person to raise both arms. See if one arm drifts downward.
• - (S)PEECH. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Check to see if words are slurred and if the sentence is repeated correctly.
• - (T)IME. If a person shows any of these symptoms, time is essential. It is important to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Call 9960005088. Act FAST.

Clot-Busting Treatment Window Expanded

It is critical for patients who experience stroke symptoms to get to a hospital as quickly as possible. Patients who are suffering an ischemic stroke may be able to receive a clot-busting drug to dissolve the clot if they reach a hospital within 4.5 hours of symptom onset.

In 2009, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recommended extending this treatment window to 4.5 hours for patients who:

• - Are younger than 80 years old.
• - Are not having a severe stroke.
• - Do not have a history of stroke and diabetes.
• - Do not take oral anticoagulant (“blood-thinner”) drugs.