The 3-steps method to survive a stroke
When a stroke happens, every second matters. In honour of National Stroke Awareness Month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a short guide that might help you or a loved one survive a stroke.
Around 800,000 people have a stroke every year in the United States. Heart attack is the fifth leading cause of death and a serious determining factor of disability in adults. Despite this, 1 in 3 stroke patients never take advantage if a key resource: emergency medical services (EMS).
In order to improve your chances of surviving a stroke and recovering from it, you need to remember three key-steps: recognizing the symptoms, calling 911 and getting treatment as soon as possible.
loading...
1. Know the signs
If any of the following symptoms occur, call 911 right away:
- Sudden numbness or weakness, especially if only on one side of the body
- Sudden painful headache
- Sudden dizziness, lack of balance, or trouble walking or speaking
- Sudden confusion, difficulty talking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
If you think someone else is having a stroke, follow the F.A.S.T. test:
F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
T—Time: If you see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.
2. Call 911 so that the EMS take you to the hospital
The treatment for stroke doesn’t begin at the hospital. You may think you can get to the hospital more quickly if you drive yourself, bu lifesaving methods are performed in the ambulance. By calling an ambulance, stroke patients have a better chance to:
- Get necessary drugs.
- Reach the hospital faster.
- Get treated more quickly.
In the ambulance, EMS staff will screen you for the symptoms of stroke, find out what medicines you take, transport you to the hospital and call ahead to the hospital’s emergency department so the staff can prepare for your arrival.
loading...
3. Get to the hospital to receive treatment
If you know the symptoms of stroke and call 911 right away, you will save a lot of time. Most strokes are caused by a blockage in a blood vessel in the brain that blocks blood flow. If the brain tissue doesn’t get blood, it dies. Medicine breaks the clot and restores blood flow to the brain. The more time that passes without receiving treatment, the greater the risk of disability, which is why stroke victims are in a race against the clock.
Loading...