The acronym FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time) has been used by the National Stroke Association, American Heart Association and others to educate the public on detecting symptoms of a stroke.
The first hour is considered to be the most crucial or in other terms “golden” because stroke patients have a high chance of survival and prevention of long-term brain damage if they receive medical treatment and drug therapy within the first 60 minutes of the onset of symptoms.
Worryingly, the Stroke Foundation survey found 40 percent of Australians could not name any of the three most common signs. These signs are known by the acronym F.A.S.T., which stands for Face (facial droop), Arms (inability to lift arms), Speech (slurred speech) and Time (Time to call 000).
F = Face — Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? Is the smile uneven? That's a sign of weakness or numbness in the face.
Symptoms of a TIA and stroke can be identified by remembering F.A.S.T., which refers to face, arms, speech and time. The face drooping, an arm going numb or speech that is slurred are all signs of a TIA or stroke, and timely treatment is critical.
Ischemic stroke
If you arrive within four-and-a-half hours of the onset of the stroke, you might receive a medication called IV tPA (intravenous tissue plasminogen activator). This is a protein that your body makes to break up clots.
If you get to the hospital within 3 hours of the first symptoms of an ischemic stroke, you may get a type of medicine called a thrombolytic (a “clot-busting” drug) to break up blood clots. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a thrombolytic. tPA improves the chances of recovering from a stroke.
Getting to the ER as quickly as possible is perhaps the most important part of managing a stroke because brain tissue can die at a rapid pace.
Drink a lot of water: You should drink at least five glasses of water per day, and this will reduce your risk of stroke by 53%, according to a recent study by Loma Linda University.
A CT scan of the head is usually one of the first tests used for a stroke. A CT scan can show bleeding in the brain or damage to brain cells. The CT scan also can find other problems that can cause stroke symptoms.
Weakness, numbness or paralysis in the face, arm or leg, typically on one side of the body. Slurred or garbled speech or difficulty understanding others. Blindness in one or both eyes or double vision. Vertigo or loss of balance or coordination.
Warning signs of an ischemic stroke may be evident as early as seven days before an attack and require urgent treatment to prevent serious damage to the brain, according to a study of stroke patients published in the March 8, 2005 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Unfortunately, the blood thinners used to prevent such blood clots can increase the risk of bleeding in the brain, a cause of hemorrhagic stroke.
Some strokes can lead to death. Anticoagulants, often called “blood thinners”, are medications to prevent these strokes. They prevent harmful blood clots from forming.
This translates to a target blood pressure of <140/90 mm Hg for most stroke patients and <130/80 mm Hg for patients with diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease.
An IV injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) — also called alteplase (Activase) or tenecteplase (TNKase) — is the gold standard treatment for ischemic stroke. An injection of TPA is usually given through a vein in the arm within the first three hours.
PROTOCOL: STROKE ALERT. PURPOSE. To establish a standard, well-coordinated and integrated approach to the recognition and treatment of any patient exhibiting signs and symptoms of acute stroke less than 8 hours in duration or arriving within 8 hours of waking up with stroke-like symptoms.
Obtain a 12-lead ECG and perform neurologic screening assessment. Do not delay CT, obtain CT without contrast within 20 minutes of patient arrival. A neurologic assessment by the stroke team or designee should be done within 20 minutes of patient arrival to the ED.
Most strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when blood clots or other particles block the blood vessels to the brain. Fatty deposits called plaque can also cause blockages by building up in the blood vessels.
The Fast Assessment of Stroke and Transient ischemic attack to prevent Early Recurrence (FASTER) is a randomized clinical trial designed to investigate the effect of hyper-acute initiation of stroke prevention treatments in patients with a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).
A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is caused by a temporary cut in blood supply to the brain, due to the partial blockage of an artery by a blood clot or debris. A TIA has the same symptoms as a stroke, but they are temporary as the clot naturally dissolves or is dislodged from the blockage.