By Angie West, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNRN, Neuroscience/Stroke Program Director, MemorialCare Neuroscience Institute, Long Beach Memorial

Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year — that’s 1 of every 20 deaths. Yet even though stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the No. 1 cause of adult disability, most people cannot identify warning signs or risk factors.

A stroke or a “brain attack,” occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When either of those happens, brain cells start to die and damage occurs. On average, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds. Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke, increasing risk of permanent brain damage, disability or death.

A person can reduce their stroke risk by living a healthy lifestyle — controlling high blood pressure; not smoking; eating a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet; being physically active; maintaining a healthy body weight; managing diabetes; drinking moderately or not at all.

Because a stroke injures the brain, and doesn’t hurt the way a heart attack does, your family and friends who are experiencing a stroke may not realize it. However, it is critical that the symptoms of stroke have the same significance and speedy response as a person potentially experiencing a heart attack. Everyone should know the signs of a stroke – and know how to B.E. F.A.S.T.

To recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke remember the acronym: B.E. F.A.S.T.

B: Balance – sudden loss of balance and coordination
E: Eyes – sudden trouble seeing or blurred vision
F: Face drooping – does one side of the face drop or is it numb
A: Arm or leg weakness – numbness especially on one side of the body
S: Speech difficulty – sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
T: Time – stroke is a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately

Being able to recognize and respond to stroke symptoms can save lives.

Anyone can have a stroke, no matter their age, race or gender. Ask your physician for tips on managing your current health conditions to reduce your risk for stroke. Take charge of your health, so you not only know how to reduce your risk, but can recognize the signs of stroke.

Long Beach Memorial has a leading stroke program with a care team dedicated to stroke prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Long Beach Memorial knows that education on how to identify a stroke can change that “every 40 seconds” statistic.

Memorialcare.org/LBStroke | 800-MEMORIAL