It is important to know the symptoms of a stroke so that you are able to recognize it and act FAST. FAST is an acronym that stands for face, arms, speech and time. The most common symptoms that a patient having a stroke will present with will include:

1. Face- is there asymmetry of the face? Does it look like one side of the face is drooping? If the patient tries to smile does it look like only half their face is moving the way it should?
2. Arms- is there weakness in one arm as compared to the other? If you try to lift both arms up does one arm fall back down? Is there inablity to lift both arms?
3. Speech- is the patient having difficulty speaking? Is the speech slurred? Or does it just sound different than what the individual normally sounds like?
4. Time- if you notice these symptoms immediately call 911. The general rule is to have the patient treated within three hours of initial symptoms. The more quickly a patient is treated the better their chances will be of not having debilitating outcomes.

A stroke may not always present exactly like this in every patient, some patients may complain of a very severe headache or sudden loss of vision. Generally strokes present as mentioned above and it is important to familiarize yourself with the symptoms. Knowing what is happening if you see someone with this presentation could mean saving their life.

prescribed by,

the Doctors @ Aepios