Time is brain: Act FAST

Its not very often that blogs I write have been prompted by patient encounters but this week I saw a patient who had what sounded like a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) two weeks ago and had waited for a routine appointment to see me. TIAs are mini strokes in which patients have the symptom's of a stroke but then fully recover. The significance of TIAs are there there is a one in chance that those who have had a TIA will experience a full stroke during the four weeks following the TIA.

The symptoms of a stroke or TIA are remembered with the mnemonic FAST:

FACE: the face may have dropped to one side
ARMS: person may not be able to lift one or both arms and keep them there
SPEECH: may slurred or garbled
TIME: it is time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms

A stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention. So recognising the signs of stroke and calling 999 for an ambulance is crucial. The sooner somebody who is having a stroke gets urgent medical attention, the better their chances of a good recovery. And rapid diagnosis of TIA (mini-stroke) allows urgent steps to be taken to reduce the risk of having a stroke. Click here for the ACT FAST website and more information.

So if you think you or a relative has had a TIA or stroke, don't wait for a routine appointment but dial 999 and get immediate medical attention!

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