Recognizing when a person has had a stroke...

[dogboy]

STROKE: Remember the 1st three letters..... S. T. R.


A neurologist says that if they can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours they can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Now doctors say a  bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S  *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T  *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE  (Coherently)

(i.e. It is sunny out today.)

R  *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke –------- Stick out Your Tongue
Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke.

[dogboy]

No joke or pun or reason for posting this other than for your own edification.  Just got it in an email and thought it sounded like something you should know too.

[eurotrash]

The NHS (National Health Service) been running ads like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpR5_LQCyzk over here in Scotland for a few months now

F face
A arms
S speech
T time to phone

[grnidone]

Wierd.  I saw a House rerun that had a chick go through the "FAST" memnonic for a stroke.  I'd not heard the STR one before.

Actually, I'd just heard of hte smile and the tongue trick for a stroke. 

Also, if your grandfather/ grandmother/ someone old is having stomach trouble and goes to the bathroom, don't let them shut the door:  many times, a heart attack feels like an upset stomach and they will go to the toilet and then try to get up and fall against the door and you can't get them out.