A stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Knowing the symptoms of a stroke and acting quickly could mean the difference between life and disability or death. The main symptoms of a stroke can be remembered with the acronym FAST:

• Face drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the persons smile uneven?
• Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred?
• Time to call 911: Stroke is an emergency. Every minute counts. Call 911 immediately. Note the time when any of the symptoms first appear.

Other symptoms of a stroke include:

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone else has any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call for an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.