Baton Rouge, LA (NBC 33/ Fox 44)
May is Stroke awareness month. And when it comes to avoiding long-lasting consequences, experts with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South want you to remember that getting help as soon as possible is important when it comes to stroke.
According to the American Stroke Association:
*About 795,000 Americans will have a new or recurrent stroke this year.
*More than 690,000 U.S. strokes are caused when a clot cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain. (called an ischemic stroke).
*Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death in the United States, killing more than 142,000. 1 in 19 deaths.
These are all reasons why we all need to know the acronym for recognizing the signs of a stroke.
Experts say, just remember F*A*S*T, which stands for…
*Face drooping-Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
*Arm weakness-s one arm weak or numb?
*Speech difficulty-Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak,
or are they hard to understand?
*Time to call 911
For more information on stroke, visit the The American Stroke Association’s website by clicking here.