Stroke Awareness Month
May is Stroke Awareness Month, a time to learn the signs and symptoms of a stroke and promote ways to prevent strokes from occurring. This year, the American Stroke Association is promoting the B.E. F.A.S.T symptom recognition campaign to make recognizing a stroke easy and to act quickly to prevent disability and death.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked by a clot or when a blood vessel bursts.
https://www.stroke.org/en/stroke-facts
There are many risk factors and conditions that can contribute to a stroke including:
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- high cholesterol
- smoking
- obesity
- age
- race/ethnicity
- family history
To prevent or reduce the risk of a stroke by striving for a healthier lifestyle:
- regular physical activity
- eat healthy foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium
- quit or do not smoke or vape and avoid secondhand smoke when you can
- limit alcohol consumption
- get regular check-ups with your doctor
- get enough sleep
For more information, visit: https://www.stroke.org/en/help-and-support/resource-library/lets-talk-about-stroke/lifestyle-changes
It is important to learn the signs of a stroke to act fast to prevent lifelong disability or death.
Learn the stroke warning signs: B.E. F.A.S.T.
Balance Loss
Eye (Vision) Changes
Face Drooping
Arm Weakness
Speech Difficulty
Time to call 911
- In the United States, stroke is the number one cause of adult disability, with 1 in 5 Americans suffering from a stroke in their lifetime
- A stroke occurs every 40 seconds, with a death occurring due to a stroke every four minutes
https://www.strokeinfo.org/stroke-facts-statistics/