Stay ahead of the game, stay FAST

Strokes are the third most common cause of death in the UK after heart disease and cancer.  150,000 people suffer a stroke each year and it’s not just the elderly, 20,000 cases are people under sixty-five, including children and infants.  Today is Stroke Awareness Day so please take just a few minutes to see how you can indentify and help someone who is having a stroke.

All organs within the body require oxygen not just to function, but to survive, and this is carried around the body and transferred to the organs via the blood supply.  A stroke is when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off as without oxygen the cells begin to die.  This can lead to brain damage and ultimately death.

There are two main causes of strokes – ischaemic and haemorrhagic – and these cause a stroke in two different ways. The former accounts for over 80% of all strokes and is the result of the blood supply becoming blocked due to a clot.  The latter is when a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts resulting in a bleed.  There is also a related condition known as a transient ischaemic attack where the brain’s blood supply is temporarily restricted.  This is sometimes referred to as a mini-stroke but should still be treated seriously as it can be a warning that a stroke is coming.

There are factors that cause strokes that you cannot do anything about including race, age and gender.  There are however things that you can do something about and you’ll not be surprised to hear that these include increasing exercise, decreasing smoking, moderating alcohol intake and eating a healthy diet.  A healthy lifestyle is far more likely to lead to a healthy body.

The simplest way to identify a stroke is to perform the FAST test, I have no doubt you will have seen the adverts on TV many times.

• F is for face.  Ask the patient to smile and so lift up the corners of their mouth.  If only one side lifts, then they may have lost muscle control in the other indicating a potential stroke.  The patient may also have blurred vision in one or both eyes.
• A is for arms.  Ask the patient to hold out both arms in front of them.  If one drops faster than the other then again it suggests they may have lost muscle control on one side.  They may also feel weak or numb on one or both sides of the body.
• S is for speech.  Talk to the patient and try to get them to talk back.  If their speech is slurred or inappropriate then this is another sign of a potential stroke.  The patient may also feel dizzy or have a bad headache.
• T is for time.  A stoke is a medical emergency and needs urgent hospital treatment so phone 999 immediately and tell them you suspect a stroke.  Treatment begins with a scan to establish what type of stroke it is – ischaemic or haemorrhagic.  If it is the former, as in the majority of cases, clot busting drugs can be given that could prevent further damage and increase the chances of a recovery.

Once you have called 999, help the patient into a comfortable position and monitor the vital signs as you are able to do, take their pulse and check their breathing – rate and strength for both.  Should the patient lose consciousness then check their airway, check their breathing and be prepared to perform cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

For further information on strokes, or any other condition, please look at the please look at the St John Ambulance web site.