Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. One side of the face may drop when the person tries to smile. Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech, slurring words. Trouble seeing in one or both eyes, blackened vision or seeing double. Severe headache, usually with no known cause and possibly with vomiting Trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination and dizziness
Weakness Shortness of breath Sudden behavior change or agitation Nausea and vomiting Hiccups Hallucinations
F- FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? A- ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? S- SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? T- TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
In addition, there is a small treatment window for ischemic strokes, so it is important to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Some hospitals have stroke care facilities that are especially well-equipped to treat strokes. If you are at risk of having a stroke, then it might be beneficial to find out where these centers are located.
Diabetes Heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation (a-fib) or stenosis Prior stroke or TIA
Being overweight or obesity Physical inactivity Heavy drinking or illicit drug use Smoking High blood pressure High cholesterol
Your age: after 55 years old, your risk doubles for every decade Your ethnicity or race: African Americans, Hispanics and Asians have a higher risk of stroke Women have a slightly higher risk Your family history of stroke
Birth control pills: Oral contraceptives can increase stroke risk, especially when other risk factors are present such as smoking or having high blood pressure. [10] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Being pregnant: This increases blood pressure and stress on the heart. [11] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Women often do hormone replacement therapy to relieve the symptoms of menopause. Migraines with aura: More women than men suffer from migraines, and migraines are associated with increased stroke risk.
However, you cannot tell whether you experienced a TIA or stroke only by timing and symptoms. It is crucial to get emergency care regardless, since having a TIA is an indication of a future probability of a stroke.
