The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association look to raise awareness of the symptoms and prevention of strokes on World Stroke Day this Wednesday, October 29th.  Around the world stroke is the second leading cause of death.

According to recent figures worldwide one in six people will have a stroke.  For women that figure is one in five.  The American Stroke Association teaches the acronym F.A.S.T. as an easy way to remember and recognize the most common stroke warning signs.

F.A.S.T. stands for:

F- Face Drooping:  Does one side of the face droop or is it numb ?  Ask the person to smile.

A- Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb ?  Ask the person to raise both arms.  Does one drift downward ?

S - Speech Difficulty: is the person's speech slurred or are they unable to speak ?

T-Time to call 9-1-1: if the person shows any of these symptoms, even if they go away.

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