Watch Now: 'FAST' Matters When it Comes to Surviving a Stroke

May marks American Stroke Month, a time to increase public awareness of stroke warning signs in the U. S. The American Heart Association estimates that every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Stroke is also the leading cause of long-term disability in the U.S.

Italo Linfante, M.D., medical director of interventional neuroradiology and Guilherme Dabus, M.D., director of fellowship in interventional neuroradiology, both at Baptist Health Neuroscience Center and Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute, share their insight as to current treatments, technology and the importance of acting quickly when a stroke is suspected.

‘FAST’ Action

They both stress the importance of knowing the acronym ‘FAST,’ a process that may minimize the amount of damage to brain cells during a cerebrovascular event and in turn save the life of a patient that may be suffering a stroke:

F – Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
A – Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S – Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
T – Time to call 9-1-1 – If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.
Source: American Stroke Association

The Baptist Health South Florida News team caught up with Dr. Linfante and Dr. Dabus as they reflect on American Stroke Month. Watch it now.