According to canada.ca, about 741,800 Canadian adults over the age of 20 live with the effects of stroke, and one quarter of Canadians living with stroke are under age 65.
With numbers like these, it is likely that someone you love or know has had a stroke, and you have been witness to how stroke can affect your life.
Stroke is a sudden loss of brain function caused by a sudden brain blood vessel blockage (ischemic stroke) or rupture (hemorrhagic stroke). Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke.
High blood pressure is the strongest risk factor for a stroke while other risk factors include smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation.
The sooner someone suffering from stroke gets medical attention, the better, so it’s important to learn what the signs are and what stroke looks like.
Survival and recovery are possible if someone acts FAST:
FACE – is it drooping?
ARMS – can you raise both?
SPEECH – is it slurred or jumbled?
TIME – to call 9-1-1 right away.
Memorizing the mnemonic FAST may help you save a life in the future.
