Hospital Corner: Respond fast to stroke

During a stroke seconds count. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted and needs to be treated as a medical emergency to minimize the impact on the brain or save someone’s life. It is critical to call 911 immediately if you or someone you are with is showing symptoms, that is, “BE FAST” at recognizing the symptoms:

B = Balance: sudden loss of balance or dizziness.
E = Eyes: change in eyesight, blurriness.
F = Face: one side is drooping.
A = Arm: arm or leg weakness, especially one side.
S = Speech: slurred or difficult speech.
T = Time—dial 911!

“People say they noticed the person ‘being off’ and that is a warning sign, better to be safe and immediately call for help and get to an emergency department to be checked out,” said Shawn Chouinard, RN an Emergency Department Nurse at Logan Health – Whitefish. “Recognition is the key to supporting people with a stoke.”