Every 40 seconds someone in America has a stroke, and in many cases those strokes can be fatal. Knowing the signs and symptoms and when to get help can save your life or the life of someone you love.
Dr. Daniel Meltzer, Executive Medical Director for Regence, says that’s why it’s so important to talk about how to spot a stroke.
“Stroke is the leading cause and most preventable cause for long term disability,” said Meltzer.
B.E.F.A.S.T. is the acronym used to detect stroke. It stands for:
Balance – When your walk or your gait is off.
Eyes – Blurred or lost vision.
Face – Facial drooping or an uneven smile.
Arms – Weakness in an arm.
Speech – Any change should be noted,
Time – How long it takes to get help.
“We talk about that golden hour, so time is tissue," said Meltzer. "It’s critically important that we, A - identify, and then B - seek the appropriate care if and when we’re having a stroke. Sadly about 1 in 3 patients never call 911 when they’re having a stroke, and really lifesaving treatment can begin in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.”
Nearly 800-thousand Americans have a stroke every year – classified either as ischemic or hemorrhagic.
“Ischemic think about a blood clot. So, you have a blood vessel, think of it like a hose, it gets clogged. That’s an Ischemic kind of stroke. That’s by far the most common. When blood vessels in the brain are blocked and that’s about 90 percent, close to 90 percent of those kind of strokes,” said Meltzer.
The other type of stroke is classified as hemorrhagic.
“This is bleeding, so there is an artery, a blood vessel in the brain that can bleed, leak or rupture,” said Meltzer.
“We talk about ‘know your numbers’ so things like what’s your blood pressure, your cholesterol, your blood sugar, your body mass index, so those are good parameters or barometer, if you will, to think of that put you at higher risk of stroke.”
High blood pressure is the single highest contributor to your risk of stroke.
“We can minimize our risk and then most importantly the B.E.F.A.S.T. campaign, if we are identifying symptoms in ourselves or in someone with whom we’re caring for or we’re with, then seek care immediately,” said Meltzer.