Did you know about 90% of all strokes can be prevented by addressing risk factors such as an unhealthy diet, obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity, and hypertension?

A stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Urgent treatment is essential to reduce the chances of brain damage, disability, or even death. 

Use the FAST test to check for the most common signs of a stroke in yourself or others.

Face: Smile. Does one side of the face droop?

Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm drop down?

Speech: Say a short phrase and check for slurred or strange speech.

Time: If the answer to any of these is yes, call 112 for an ambulance right away and write down the time when symptoms started. Minutes matter in treating strokes as brain tissue and millions of neurons begin to die. 

Other symptoms include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, particularly on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking, or understanding speech.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance.
• Sudden severe headache for no reason.

Sometimes strokes develop slowly, but more often the symptoms are rapid.

Be prepared

Strokes can happen to anyone at any age or at any time. Planning for an emergency can make a big difference.

There are factors that increase your chance of having a stroke. Chat with a health counsellor at NMG SmartAssist on ways to reduce your chances and live a healthy lifestyle. You can access these services at no cost to you or your family.