According to the CDC, Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year—that's one of every 20 deaths.
Using the acronym F.A.S.T will help you to recognize stroke and get your loved one the help they need immediately.
Listen as Jenny Reeves, registered nurse and Texoma Medical Center's Stroke Services Coordinator, explains the signs and what you should do if you think someone is having a stroke.
Selected Podcast
Learn The Signs of Stroke Using The Acronym F.A.S.T.
Featured Speaker:
Jenny Reeves, RN
Jenny Reeves is a registered nurse and Texoma Medical Center’s Stroke Services Coordinator. Transcription:
Learn The Signs of Stroke Using The Acronym F.A.S.T.
Melanie Cole (Host): According to the CDC, stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year. That's one of every 20 deaths. My guest today is Jenny Reeves. She's a registered nurse and Texoma Medical Center Stroke Services Coordinator. Welcome to the show, Jenny. What is stroke?
Jenny Reeves (Guest): There are actually two types of strokes. There's an ischemic stroke and there's a hemorrhagic stroke. With an ischemic stroke, it's an area within the brain that does not receive blood or oxygen, and so there is brain death around that area. So, the hemorrhagic stroke is a situation where a blood vessel bursts inside the head also resulting in a loss of blood to the tissue causing an area of brain death as well.
Melanie: So, would people know if they're suffering a stroke? Are there certain risk factors that contribute to this?
Jenny: Absolutely. High blood pressure, not knowing what your lipids are, or your LDL, not eating healthy, not exercising, obesity, diabetes. If you have AFib or an irregular heart rate, you are five times more likely to have a stroke. Of course, if you smoke, that also increases your risks for a stroke, but many people are not aware that these are actually stroke risk factors until they come in with stroke symptoms.
Melanie: Now, can you survive a stroke? Is this a possibility? People hear stroke, they think of severe debilitation, but that's not the case, is it?
Jenny: It's not always the case. It is the first leading cause of disability in our country, so it is a very great possibility, but there is treatment now available that can reverse a stroke while it is occurring, if someone comes into the emergency room fast enough and they are a candidate.
Melanie: So, they say that time is brain and that's why it's so important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. So, Jenny, describe the symptoms that you might notice either in yourself, or in a loved one that are so important and that you get emergency help as quickly as possible.
Jenny: Well, you are correct. For every one minute stroke goes untreated, 1.9 million brain cells die and the most important thing is to know the symptoms of a stroke. The easiest way to remember the signs of a stroke is with the acronym FAST. F-A-S-T. This captures 89% of stroke symptoms. The "F" stands for face. You would ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop? "A" is for arms. You ask the person to hold up both arms in front of them. Does one arm drift downward? "S" is for speech. You ask the person to repeat a phrase. Are their words slurred? And "T" is for time because time is really important. It's immediately time to call 9-1-1.
Melanie: Now why is it so important, Jenny, to call 9-1-1 instead of trying to drive your loved one to the hospital?
Jenny: The fact is, patients that came in by EMS received treatment earlier. Because every one minute is 1.9 million brain cells, time is of the essence. I actually did a survey, collected information on all of our stroke patients over a period of 12 months, and I ask them, "Why did you not call 9-1-1?" And the first reason was, "I didn't know I was having a stroke," but the second reason was "I thought it would be faster if I drove myself." That is a huge problem and the reason why is because it helps me recognize the public does not understand the role of EMS. They are not just transport. Actually, EMS begins treatment in the field. They start IVs, they call us with a pre-arrival so we can open up our CT scanner, they do a neuro assessment, they call us and tell us the patient appears to be stroke positive. So, when the patient comes to the emergency room, we're waiting at the ambulance bay, ready to go, everyone is prepared to receive the patient, so it saves time, and that saves brain.
Melanie: And, Jenny, sometimes people might have that speech difficulty and start those beginning symptoms that you described, and they're not that recognizable for stroke. You think maybe they've had a drink, or maybe they're just making a joke, so sometimes, there's a little bit of confusion. What do you tell people about recognizing these signs for what they are?
Jenny: I think if we see someone having a little bit of slurred speech, or maybe our arm feels different, maybe we assume we slept on it wrong. I think that's when we should stop and implement that entire FAST assessment. Have them smile, hold both arms up, are there speech changes? If you do that and you can actually observe the patient is having more than just a little humor or a little weakness, I think that would support calling 9-1-1, and if there's any doubt, call 9-1-1. It's better to come in and be assessed and look for treatment, because we only have 60 minutes to treat the person for stroke.
Melanie: Are there some other symptoms that might go along with this that would help us really say "Okay, this is what's happening,"?
Jenny: Absolutely. There's actually quite a few symptoms. Increased confusion. Sometimes, the patient may be confused as to where they are. One that I see a lot of the time, especially if there is a stroke in the back of the brain, is an ataxia. That means a loss of balance. This is not dizziness. This is when the person gets up and they can't walk straight. That is really common, ataxia is. But we assume that it's not a stroke. It doesn't sound like a stroke to a lot of people. Also, some sensory deficits, meaning your left arm feels different than your right. It almost feels duller when someone touches it. That is also a common sign of a stroke. And, also to remember, the number one complaint with those patients that come in with an inter-cranial hemorrhage, which is also a stroke, is the worst headache of my life. They say "I've never had a headache this bad," and, frequently, that can be symptom of a head bleed.
Melanie: So, Jenny, what happens? What can people expect? So, you've mentioned that EMS really is the way to get your treatment started as quickly as possible and they alert you to what is going on and that this is possible stroke. What can people expect at the emergency room?
Jenny: Well, if they're having an ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic stroke, as soon as they come to the door and we already know they're stoke positive, they don't even go to a room first. They go directly to a CT scanner. Because the first thing that we want to do is see what's going on in the head. The only thing the CT will tell us is if they're having a head bleed or not. If they don't have a bleed within their head, we automatically know we're probably looking at an ischemic stroke, which is a blood clot or plaque that has traveled up. So, we do a full neuro-assessment. We look at the patient's clinical situation, we do a series of blood work, and if we feel like the patient meets the criteria for a clot buster, we quickly administer a clot buster.
Melanie: Then, wrap it up for us. What great information you've given today. Wrap it up with some really good tips for people on prevention of stroke and why recognizing the symptoms is so important.
Jenny: Know your risk factors, visit with your doctor, go for your physicals, and know “Is my blood pressure high? Are my lipids elevated? Do I have early diabetes? Do my family members have a history of stroke? Do I have AFib?” Be aware of your risk factors and adjust your lifestyle to decrease those risk factors. There are some risk factors we can't help. We can't help the fact if we're African-American. We can't help the fact if maybe we have a valve issue in our heart, but know your risk factors. Be aware of the signs and symptoms. Be familiar FAST to quickly assess for stroke, and above all, call 9-1-1 before you bring your loved one into the hospital. Those patients get treatment faster. Every one minute counts.
Melanie: And, why should they come to Texoma Medical Center for their care?
Jenny: Here, at TMC, our stroke treatment is three times the national average and we have a designated stroke team that responds immediately. We quickly assess the patient. Everyone comes in together. We are a primary stroke center, accredited by the Joint Commission and the state has recognized us also a stroke center. So, here at TMC, we offer all stroke services to give our patients the best possible stroke care.
Melanie: Thank you so much for being with us today. You're listening to TMC Health Talk with Texoma Medical Center. For more information, you can go to www.texomamedicalcenter.net. That's www.texomamedicalcenter.net. Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Texoma Medical Center. The Hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.
Learn The Signs of Stroke Using The Acronym F.A.S.T.
Melanie Cole (Host): According to the CDC, stroke is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 130,000 Americans each year. That's one of every 20 deaths. My guest today is Jenny Reeves. She's a registered nurse and Texoma Medical Center Stroke Services Coordinator. Welcome to the show, Jenny. What is stroke?
Jenny Reeves (Guest): There are actually two types of strokes. There's an ischemic stroke and there's a hemorrhagic stroke. With an ischemic stroke, it's an area within the brain that does not receive blood or oxygen, and so there is brain death around that area. So, the hemorrhagic stroke is a situation where a blood vessel bursts inside the head also resulting in a loss of blood to the tissue causing an area of brain death as well.
Melanie: So, would people know if they're suffering a stroke? Are there certain risk factors that contribute to this?
Jenny: Absolutely. High blood pressure, not knowing what your lipids are, or your LDL, not eating healthy, not exercising, obesity, diabetes. If you have AFib or an irregular heart rate, you are five times more likely to have a stroke. Of course, if you smoke, that also increases your risks for a stroke, but many people are not aware that these are actually stroke risk factors until they come in with stroke symptoms.
Melanie: Now, can you survive a stroke? Is this a possibility? People hear stroke, they think of severe debilitation, but that's not the case, is it?
Jenny: It's not always the case. It is the first leading cause of disability in our country, so it is a very great possibility, but there is treatment now available that can reverse a stroke while it is occurring, if someone comes into the emergency room fast enough and they are a candidate.
Melanie: So, they say that time is brain and that's why it's so important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. So, Jenny, describe the symptoms that you might notice either in yourself, or in a loved one that are so important and that you get emergency help as quickly as possible.
Jenny: Well, you are correct. For every one minute stroke goes untreated, 1.9 million brain cells die and the most important thing is to know the symptoms of a stroke. The easiest way to remember the signs of a stroke is with the acronym FAST. F-A-S-T. This captures 89% of stroke symptoms. The "F" stands for face. You would ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop? "A" is for arms. You ask the person to hold up both arms in front of them. Does one arm drift downward? "S" is for speech. You ask the person to repeat a phrase. Are their words slurred? And "T" is for time because time is really important. It's immediately time to call 9-1-1.
Melanie: Now why is it so important, Jenny, to call 9-1-1 instead of trying to drive your loved one to the hospital?
Jenny: The fact is, patients that came in by EMS received treatment earlier. Because every one minute is 1.9 million brain cells, time is of the essence. I actually did a survey, collected information on all of our stroke patients over a period of 12 months, and I ask them, "Why did you not call 9-1-1?" And the first reason was, "I didn't know I was having a stroke," but the second reason was "I thought it would be faster if I drove myself." That is a huge problem and the reason why is because it helps me recognize the public does not understand the role of EMS. They are not just transport. Actually, EMS begins treatment in the field. They start IVs, they call us with a pre-arrival so we can open up our CT scanner, they do a neuro assessment, they call us and tell us the patient appears to be stroke positive. So, when the patient comes to the emergency room, we're waiting at the ambulance bay, ready to go, everyone is prepared to receive the patient, so it saves time, and that saves brain.
Melanie: And, Jenny, sometimes people might have that speech difficulty and start those beginning symptoms that you described, and they're not that recognizable for stroke. You think maybe they've had a drink, or maybe they're just making a joke, so sometimes, there's a little bit of confusion. What do you tell people about recognizing these signs for what they are?
Jenny: I think if we see someone having a little bit of slurred speech, or maybe our arm feels different, maybe we assume we slept on it wrong. I think that's when we should stop and implement that entire FAST assessment. Have them smile, hold both arms up, are there speech changes? If you do that and you can actually observe the patient is having more than just a little humor or a little weakness, I think that would support calling 9-1-1, and if there's any doubt, call 9-1-1. It's better to come in and be assessed and look for treatment, because we only have 60 minutes to treat the person for stroke.
Melanie: Are there some other symptoms that might go along with this that would help us really say "Okay, this is what's happening,"?
Jenny: Absolutely. There's actually quite a few symptoms. Increased confusion. Sometimes, the patient may be confused as to where they are. One that I see a lot of the time, especially if there is a stroke in the back of the brain, is an ataxia. That means a loss of balance. This is not dizziness. This is when the person gets up and they can't walk straight. That is really common, ataxia is. But we assume that it's not a stroke. It doesn't sound like a stroke to a lot of people. Also, some sensory deficits, meaning your left arm feels different than your right. It almost feels duller when someone touches it. That is also a common sign of a stroke. And, also to remember, the number one complaint with those patients that come in with an inter-cranial hemorrhage, which is also a stroke, is the worst headache of my life. They say "I've never had a headache this bad," and, frequently, that can be symptom of a head bleed.
Melanie: So, Jenny, what happens? What can people expect? So, you've mentioned that EMS really is the way to get your treatment started as quickly as possible and they alert you to what is going on and that this is possible stroke. What can people expect at the emergency room?
Jenny: Well, if they're having an ischemic stroke, or hemorrhagic stroke, as soon as they come to the door and we already know they're stoke positive, they don't even go to a room first. They go directly to a CT scanner. Because the first thing that we want to do is see what's going on in the head. The only thing the CT will tell us is if they're having a head bleed or not. If they don't have a bleed within their head, we automatically know we're probably looking at an ischemic stroke, which is a blood clot or plaque that has traveled up. So, we do a full neuro-assessment. We look at the patient's clinical situation, we do a series of blood work, and if we feel like the patient meets the criteria for a clot buster, we quickly administer a clot buster.
Melanie: Then, wrap it up for us. What great information you've given today. Wrap it up with some really good tips for people on prevention of stroke and why recognizing the symptoms is so important.
Jenny: Know your risk factors, visit with your doctor, go for your physicals, and know “Is my blood pressure high? Are my lipids elevated? Do I have early diabetes? Do my family members have a history of stroke? Do I have AFib?” Be aware of your risk factors and adjust your lifestyle to decrease those risk factors. There are some risk factors we can't help. We can't help the fact if we're African-American. We can't help the fact if maybe we have a valve issue in our heart, but know your risk factors. Be aware of the signs and symptoms. Be familiar FAST to quickly assess for stroke, and above all, call 9-1-1 before you bring your loved one into the hospital. Those patients get treatment faster. Every one minute counts.
Melanie: And, why should they come to Texoma Medical Center for their care?
Jenny: Here, at TMC, our stroke treatment is three times the national average and we have a designated stroke team that responds immediately. We quickly assess the patient. Everyone comes in together. We are a primary stroke center, accredited by the Joint Commission and the state has recognized us also a stroke center. So, here at TMC, we offer all stroke services to give our patients the best possible stroke care.
Melanie: Thank you so much for being with us today. You're listening to TMC Health Talk with Texoma Medical Center. For more information, you can go to www.texomamedicalcenter.net. That's www.texomamedicalcenter.net. Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Texoma Medical Center. The Hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. This is Melanie Cole. Thanks so much for listening.