(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Stroke kills approximately 6,000 people in Malaysia every year*. Getting fast treatment immediately after a stroke can save your life.

Treatment includes clot-busting medications (called thrombolytics), endovascular procedures and surgery. All the treatments aim to remove blood clots (or to stop bleeding, if a blood vessel has ruptured) and to save brain tissue.

Don’t miss the signs of a stroke. Follow the steps of the F.A.S.T. test:

F — FACE

Ask the person to smile. Is the smile lopsided? Is one side of the face drooping?

A — ARMS

Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Is one arm weak or numb?

S — SPEECH

Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase, like “The sky is blue.” Is the speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand?

T — TIME TO CALL 999

If you see any one of these signs, call 999 immediately and tell them it may be a stroke. Note the time when the symptoms first appeared. Call emergency services even if the symptoms go away.

(Image credit: National Stroke Association of Malaysia)

Other symptoms besides F.A.S.T.

Sudden NUMBNESS or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden CONFUSION, trouble speaking or understanding speech
Sudden TROUBLE SEEING in one or both eyes
Sudden TROUBLE WALKING, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden SEVERE HEADACHE with no known cause

For some people, the symptoms may go away. This may be a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or a “mini-stroke,” which indicates a serious underlying condition. It is still important to get medical attention right away.

* Average figures from 2015-2017 causes of death, Department of Statistics, Malaysia

Image credit: National Stroke Association of Malaysia

Listen to the podcast ‘The Importance of Reacting Quickly to Strokes’:

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