Fighting stroke with FAST
If you were with someone who was having a stroke, would you recognise the symptoms, and would you know what to do?
What is a stroke?
A stroke is a brain attack. It happens when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in or around the brain from a burst blood vessel.
What are the symptoms of stroke?
To help people recognise the symptoms of stroke quickly, The Stroke Association has funded research into FAST - the Face Arm Speech Test - which is used by paramedics to diagnose stroke prior to a person being admitted to hospital. By diagnosing the possibility of stroke before reaching hospital, it is possible for appropriate referral to a stroke unit to be made as quickly as possible.
FAST requires an assessment of three specific symptoms of stroke:
Facial weakness - can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
Arm weakness - can the person raise both arms?
Speech problems - can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?
Time to call 999.
If the person has failed any one of these tests, you must call 999. Stroke is a medical emergency and by calling 999 you can help someone reach hospital quickly and receive the early treatment they need. Prompt action can prevent further damage to the brain and help someone make a full recovery. Delay can result in death or major long-term disabilities, such as paralysis, severe memory loss and communication problems.
The Stroke Association promoted the FAST test as part of its Stroke is a Medical Emergency campaign. Find out more about the campaign
You can also order copies of our FAST posters and leaflets.
FAST materials order form (246 kb) ![[doc]](http://www.stroke.org.uk/display_images/document_icons/doc.gif){kind=icon}
What if the symptoms go away?
A Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) is sometimes called a mini-stroke and is similar to a full stroke, but symptoms last just a few minutes or a few hours and have completely gone away within 24 hours.
Don't ignore a suspected TIA - it could lead to a major stroke. A TIA should be treated as an emergency.
You should seek urgent medical attention for this person, either from their GP or at an Accident and Emergency Department. Treatment with daily aspirin will begin immediately in the majority of cases. Most importantly, the doctor should assess their risk of a more major stroke in the near future:
- If this risk is high, they should be seen by a stroke specialist within 24 hours of symptom onset.
- If this risk is low, they should still be seen by a stroke specialist within one week.
