If you have experienced any of these symptoms, you may have had a TIA or mini-stroke. Ask your doctor if you can lower your risk for stroke by taking aspirin, or by other means.
If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do this simple test:

Face - Ask the person to smile-does one side of the face droop?

Arm - Ask the person to raise both arms-does one arm drift downward?

Speech - Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence-Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?

Time - Time is of the essence when you or someone you are with experiences any of these symptoms. Consider them an emergency and dial 9-1-1. For every minute it takes to get intervention, brain cells are dying.

Risk Factors

Risk factors for strokes include:

• Age
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Excess alcohol use
• Heart disease
• Sedentary life style
• Untreated atrial fibrillation (irregular heart beat)
• Depression

While you don’t have control over some risk factors, like age, you can control others like smoking and how active you are. Also, if you have a chronic condition like diabetes, high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation, it is very important that you work closely with your health care provider to manage those conditions well. Participating in a regular physical fitness program and having a good sense of humor can help prevent or relieve depression. In addition, a regular exercise program helps most chronic medical conditions—Movement is Medicine!

After a Stroke

After a person suffers a stroke, rehabilitation is usually necessary. Physical, occupational and speech therapists can help you recover. Modifications to the living environment may be needed to allow for maximum independence. Recovery from stroke is a lifetime endeavor, and improvements are possible for a long time afterwards.