UNDATED (WTAQ) – The symptoms of a stroke can look different in everyone, that why it’s important to know the warning signs and risk factors.
May is National Stroke Awareness Month.
Sarah Badalamenti is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and says the best way to remember the cautionary signs of this brain attack is to use the acronym FAST.
“F stands for “face” meaning a facial droop on one side, A is an “arm” drift downward when you’re trying to raise it, S stands for “speech,” that the speech is slurred or the person is having trouble talking or communicating, and then the T stands for “time” to get help.”
Up to 80 percent of all strokes are preventable. The number one risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure.
“Some of the other risk factors are things like high cholesterol, heart disease, a type of irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, smoking, being overweight, excessive alcohol, and sedentary lifestyle,” says Badalamenti.
A free stroke screening will be offered on Monday, May 23rd at A Woman’s Place, 1727 Shawano Ave. in Green Bay.
Screenings are by appointment only from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 920-498-4205 to schedule a visit.
Find more information on the warning signs of a stroke at www.prevea.com.
