May marks American Stroke Month [1], a time to increase public awareness of stroke warning signs in the U. S. The American Heart Association estimates that every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Stroke is also the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S.
Italo Linfante, M.D. [2], medical director of interventional neuroradiology and Guilherme Dabus, M.D. [3], director of fellowship in interventional neuroradiology, both at Baptist Health Neuroscience Center [4] and Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute [5], share their insight as to current treatments, technology and the importance of acting quickly when a stroke is suspected.
‘FAST’ Action
They both stress the importance of knowing the acronym ‘FAST,’ a process that may minimize the amount of damage to brain cells during a cerebrovascular event and in turn save the life of a patient that may be suffering a stroke:
F – Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
A – Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S – Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Is the person 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?
T – Time to call 9-1-1 – If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.
Source: American Stroke Association
The Baptist Health South Florida News team caught up with Dr. Linfante and Dr. Dabus as they reflect on American Stroke Month. Watch it now.