28/10/2021
Spot a stroke before it is too late and cure it in time. Stroke accounts for 1 of every 19 deaths and is the second largest leading cause of death.
In getting help for someone having a stroke, there is literally no time to waste. Every second that a stroke goes untreated, 30,000 brain cells die.
The new lifesaving acronym is B.E. F.A.S.T.
* B - Balance: Watch for a sudden loss of balance. Is the person leaning to one side or staggering when walking?
* E - Eyes: Is there a sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes? Double vision that doesn't go away when you blink your eyes. No side vision or vision above midline?
* F - Face: Ask the person to smile or stick out their tongue. Is the smile uneven, is the tongue deviated to one side or does one side of the face droop? A bit of drooling out of that side of the face may be present.
* A - Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Is there sudden loss of coordination, numbness, weakness of that arm? For example, is the person suddenly unable to pick up a coffee cup or get it to his or her mouth? Does the arm or leg feel numb, or do they want to shake it all the time to wake it up like it's asleep.
* S - Speech: Sudden difficulty in speaking or understanding. Can the person repeat a simple phrase? Does the speech sound slurred/strange/garbled? Does the person say he or she has a thick tongue or have difficulty swallowing?
* T - Time: What do you do if you observe any of these signs in yourself or in someone you are with? Call your nearest stroke centre facility available hospital.
Share this awareness message as much as you can you might just end up saving someone’s life.
