General Information: (434) 654-7000 OR 1-800-633-6353 May
signals Stroke Awareness Month. Strokes are the no. 4 killer in
this country. A stroke occurs when the blood flow to the brain
abruptly stops. The biggest risk factor is uncontrolled high
blood pressure – remember, high blood pressure is called the
Silent Killer for a reason. And researchers state that 80% of
strokes could have been prevented with quick action at the first
symptoms. To prevent a stroke, act F.A.S.T.: (1) Face drooping –
ask the person to smile (2) Arm weakness – ask them to raise
both arms (3) Speech difficulty – ask then to repeat “the sky is
blue” (4) Time to call 911 when you first see a symptom Stroke
Risk Factors: Time to take action when you observe in a person
or you yourself have: The key to preventing strokes is to act
FAST. Take action now and don’t wait. A person needs to get to
the ER for early medication treatment to stop cold a stroke that
might be coming soon. TIA or transient ischemic attack is a
“warning stroke” or “mi