How anyone can recognize a stroke
This is a bit of an aside from the usual trivialities of my blog, but it is something I heard about whilst I was in Australia, and I think it is really cool. Some researchers funded by the American Stroke Association have come up with a very easy test to tell if someone has had a stroke. I have checked up on the details of this, and it is genuine ( Press Release, abstract from the clinical paper) and the test is very effective (sensitivity 93.9%, specificity 80.0%).
Both my grandmothers had strokes. It makes a huge difference if the symptoms are recognised early: people have been known to have small falls, but to carry on as usual, and then die within 24 hours; this was because the fall had been caused by a stroke, the symptoms were not recognised and no treatment was given. The remainder of this post I repeat verbatim:
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
1. Ask the individual to SMILE.
2. Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
3. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (e.g. It is sunny out today)
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call for medical assistance immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.
Back with more cheerful news soon,
Ali
Both my grandmothers had strokes. It makes a huge difference if the symptoms are recognised early: people have been known to have small falls, but to carry on as usual, and then die within 24 hours; this was because the fall had been caused by a stroke, the symptoms were not recognised and no treatment was given. The remainder of this post I repeat verbatim:
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.
Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
1. Ask the individual to SMILE.
2. Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
3. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (e.g. It is sunny out today)
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call for medical assistance immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
After discovering that a group of non-medical volunteers could identify facial weakness, arm weakness and speech problems, researchers urged the general public to learn the three questions. They presented their conclusions at the American Stroke Association's annual meeting last February. Widespread use of this test could result in prompt diagnosis and treatment of the stroke and prevent brain damage.
Back with more cheerful news soon,
Ali
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