25/02/2020
The Warning Signs of
When you have a stroke, your brain isn't getting the blood it needs. You need treatment right away to lower your chances of brain damage, disability, or even death.
Use the BEFAST test to check for the most common symptoms of a stroke in yourself or someone else.
BALANCE :Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Eyes :Sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.
Face: Smile and see if one side of the face droops.
Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm drop down?
Speech: Say a short phrase and check for slurred or strange speech.
Time: If the answer to any of these is yes, call ambulance right away and write down the time when symptoms started.
Minutes matter in treating stroke. Calling a doctor or driving to the hospital yourself wastes time. Ambulance workers can judge your situation sooner, and that boosts your chance of getting the treatment you need as soon as possible.
Depending on the type of stroke, doctors may give you powerful clot-busting drugs. The treatment works best when you get this medication within 3 hours of when your symptoms started. If your stroke was caused by a burst blood vessel, doctors will try to stop the bleeding as soon as possible.
