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PARKERSBURG -- Officials with the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department want people to be aware of the possible signs of a stroke.
May is National Stroke Awareness Month, an observance that raises awareness of the signs and symptoms of stroke, according to a press release issued by the health department.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of severe disability. West Virginia ranks 7th in the nation for stroke deaths.
If someone thinks someone else is having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. with this simple test:
* F - Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
* A - Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
* S - Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is the speech slurred or strange?
* T - Time: If they see any of these signs, call 9-1-1 right away.
Recognize stroke symptoms for ones self as well. Stroke symptoms come on quickly. Symptoms include numbness or weakness especially on one side, painful headache, dizziness, lack of balance, confusion, difficulty talking or trouble seeing. If these symptoms appear, do not wait, call 9-1-1.
One's stroke treatment doesn't start at the hospital. EMS professionals are critical to stroke care. They can screen for symptoms, saving time at the hospital. Most strokes are caused by a blockage in a blood vessel in the brain. It is important to get clot-busting medicine within the first three hours of having a stroke.
Stroke can happen at any age, but increasingly younger persons are having strokes. About one in seven strokes occur in adolescents and young adults, aged 15-49 years, the press release said.
Certain groups of persons are more likely to have a stroke at younger ages. Several risk factors for stroke, such as stress, anxiety, and depression, are more common in women than men. African Americans aged less than 45 years have approximately twice the risk for stroke, compared with whites in that age group.
The good news is stroke is preventable and treatable, the press release said. Controlling blood pressure and living a healthy lifestyle (e.g., exercising; eating more fruits and vegetables and foods low in sodium or salt; and avoiding smoking) can reduce your chances of having a stroke, it added.
More information about stroke prevention is available online from CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/). For a free blood pressure check or to weigh in and find out your Body Mass Index (BMI), call the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department at 1-888-550-6797. Links to the CDC and the Million Hearts website are available at movhd.com.