In about the time it takes you to read this column, three people will have suffered a stroke. Stroke which occurs when a clot or ruptured vessel interrupts the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain attacks someone every 40 seconds, according to the American Stroke Association, which is celebrating National Stroke Awareness Month during May.
Stroke causes brain cells to die at a rate of two million per minute and the longer one waits to receive treatment, the less likely it is that available treatment options will help, said Dr. Samson Mebrahtu, director of neurodiagnostic medicine at South Shore Neurologic Associates in Riverhead.
People ignore signs and symptoms, he said, or think that they are going to go away. They usually tell us I had the symptoms yesterday and I ignored them, and then they woke up and were paralyzed on one side.
Time is of the essence, Dr. Mebrahtu stressed. Time equals brain.
Often, however, people dont know what indicators to look for, he said, recommending that patients and those with friends and relatives at risk learn to think FAST literally.
Check for any of the following:
Does one side of the Face droop? Does one Arm drift downward, feeling heavy? Is Speech slurred or strange?
If you observe any of these signs, Dr. Mebrahtu said, its Time to go to the hospital or call 911.
It is essential because most of the time family members may be the ones recognizing some of the signs, he said
Read this article:
Health Column: Know the signs of a stroke