What to do if someone is having a stroke

When a stroke happens, it is important to recognize the symptoms, call 911, and get to a hospital quickly for emergency treatment.

Learning the symptoms of stroke—and acting fast when they occur—can help save your life or that of a loved one. Call 911 immediately.

Time = brain. The faster you can get help, the better chance you have of preventing damage to the brain.

To help you remember the stroke warning signs, try memorizing this easy acronym: BE FAST

• B – Balance. Does the person have a sudden loss of balance?
• E – Eyes. Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
• 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 sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
• T – Time. If you observe any of these signs, it's time to call 911.

Even if you observe only one of these symptoms, call 911. And if you are unsure but concerned, call 911 and let trained EMTs make an assessment. When it comes to a possible stroke, better safe than sorry.