Spouses and family members can help recognize stroke signs and call 911

Cristen Carlon MSN, RN, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN
Stroke Program Coordinator
St. Joseph’s/Candler

Smart Living: An ischemic stroke, in which a blood clot stops blood flow to the brain, does not cause pain, but it can cause unique and sudden symptoms. What signs should alert people to a stroke?

Cristen Carlon: We use the acronym BE FAST to educate people about stroke. B is for balance, which can be suddenly lost. E is for Eye changes, such as blurring or partial vision loss. F is for Face—sudden facial droop. A is for Arms—feeling weakness or numbness. S is for speech, which can be slurred during a stroke. And T is for time, because the faster you get into the ED and get treated, the better your recovery. With a stroke, brain tissue is dying every minute. That’s why we say, “time is brain.” Call 911 immediately!

SL: How can spouses, family members or even friends help people respond appropriately to these symptoms?

CC: By being able to recognize how these sudden signs indicate a stroke, loved ones can emphasize that there is no time to wait and see if these symptoms go away. In fact, your sense of urgency might save their life. Don’t offer to drive them to the hospital—call 911 because EMS can start treating the person right there on the scene and call ahead to the ED. This is true for both rural patients and those in the city.

There is a short window of time that doctors can administer clot-busting drugs or other treatments for stroke. Calling 911 is the fastest way to get those treatments in time.