FAST You’ll need to act

EACH YEAR 9000 PEOPLE HAVE A STROKE, BUT BY KNOWING THE SIGNS, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE OUTCOME

Astroke occurs when the blood supply to an area of the brain is cut o either by a clot or a bleed – and it can be fatal. However, the earlier a stroke is identified and treated, the greater the chances are for improved recovery and reduced disability. Stroke can happen to anyone at any time, even to people younger than you’d expect, like 23-year-old Kate McDonald, a chef and mum from Taupo. Kate was in bed reading when she started to feel odd. “My arm felt a bit numb and weak - it sort of pulled in towards me and my fingers kept curling up. I felt like I couldn’t talk,” she says. Kate managed to use her mobile phone to contact her husband from the other room. He called Kate’s mum, who they were staying with at the time. By now Kate was crying, but still unable to speak. Her mum noticed the right side of Kate’s face was drooping and that was when they called an ambulance. At Rotorua Hospital, Kate was assessed by the emergency medical team and using telestroke video conferencing, the team consulted a neurologist at Waikato Hospital. Kate’s CT scan confirmed a stroke and she was given a treatment called thrombolysis. Consultant Physician and Stroke Lead at Rotorua Hospital, Dr Karim Mahawish, says, “When a stroke comes on, every minute the brain loses two million brain cells. “In strokes caused by a blocked blood vessel, as Kate’s was, thrombolysis has to be given within four and half hours of the stroke starting. However, the sooner treatment is given, the better.” Dr Mahawish says using FAST is a good screening process to look for signs of stroke. “The problem we often see is that people don’t go quickly enough to the hospital,” he says “Stroke is always a medical emergency, and fast treatment can reduce brain damage and mean more chances of a full recovery.” Acting FAST can save lives, improve recovery and reduce ongoing costs from stroke to families, caregivers and communities. So know the signs of stroke and call 111 immediately.

The Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Agency are working with the Stroke Foundation to raise awareness that stroke is a medical emergency and to learn the signs.