What Is a Stroke?

F &mdash; Face: Does one side of the face droop? Ask the person to smile.
A &mdash; Arms: Does one arm drift downward? Ask the person to raise both arms.
S &mdash; Speech: Is their speech slurred or are the words not coming out right? Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase.
T &mdash; Time: Time to act! Call 911 and get the person to a certified stroke center immediately.

Is it a stroke? Act FAST

Learn the warning signs of a stroke. Act FAST and call 911 immediately if you see signs of a stroke.

F — Face: Does one side of the face droop? Ask the person to smile.
A — Arms: Does one arm drift downward? Ask the person to raise both arms.
S — Speech: Is their speech slurred or are the words not coming out right? Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase.
T — Time: Time to act! Call 911 and get the person to a certified stroke center immediately.

Note the time when any symptoms first appear. Quick response is critical for recovery after a stroke. If given within three hours of the first symptoms, clot-buster medication may reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. Learn as many stroke symptoms as possible so you can recognize a stroke right away.

Stroke symptoms

Familiarizing yourself with the symptoms of stroke can help you in the event that you or a loved one has a stroke.

Stroke symptoms include:

Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg — especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause