When my dad had a mild stroke a few years ago, he had two things going for him: he was at high school football game sitting in front of his primary care physician, and there was an ambulance on the field that immediately whisked him away to a hospital.
Dad’s symptom was subtle; he couldn’t grab a bottle of water he brought to the game. That doesn’t necessarily sound like a stroke in the making. Fortunately for Dad, his doctor knew otherwise.
May is Stroke Awareness Month, making it a good time to brush up on the signs and symptoms to look out for. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke, and it’s important to remember that anyone can have one.
“Stroke is not just a disease that affects the elderly. Although the risk of stroke does increase as we get older, stroke can affect people of all ages. Among young adults, we’re seeing an increase in both the incidence and serious complications of stroke,”says Marc Alain Babi, MD, aneurocritical carespecialist for Cleveland Clinic.
If you think someone is having a stroke, Dr. Babi says to remember the acronym BE FAST. It stands for balance, eyes, face, arm, speech and time. That means if someone is experiencing balance loss, vision changes, facial drooping, arm weakness or trouble speaking, it’s time to call 911.
Dr. Babi says every minute matters when someone’s having a stroke and getting treated quickly is crucial. It’s also important to remember that there are things we can do now to help prevent a stroke in the future.
“There are modifiable risk factors for stroke that we can control, including managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes well as not smoking,” he says. Genetics also play a role–that’s why you want to review any family history of stroke with your doctor.
