MCMH Highlights Stroke Awareness Month and the Importance of Acting FAST

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. An ischemic stroke is caused by a clot, while a hemorrhagic stroke involves bleeding in the brain. She said ischemic strokes are far more common, making up about 87% of strokes.

One of the biggest messages from the discussion was the importance of remembering BE FAST: Balance, Eyes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 911. Runyon said symptoms are usually sudden and different from a person’s normal baseline. Even if symptoms go away, they may still indicate a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, sometimes called a mini stroke. She noted that one in five people who have a TIA will go on to have a full ischemic stroke within 90 days, with nearly half of those happening within the first 48 hours