WITH national stroke week around the corner, Australians are being reminded to be aware of stroke symptoms.
The theme of this year’s national stroke week, which begins on 7 August, is “fighting stroke together”.
To check for signs of a stroke, the FAST system is used – F is for face, A is for arms, S is for speech. And T is for time. Stroke victims will often experience a droopy mouth, heavy arms, slurred speech, and can die if action is not taken quickly.
Stroke Foundation Chief Executive Officer Dr Lisa Murphy said learning FAST can save lives. “Stroke does not discriminate. In fact, the rate of stroke in young Australian adults aged 18 to 65 is rising but the good news is there are some key things you can do to reduce your risk of having a stroke,” she said. “These include, exercising regularly, eating healthily, not smoking and visiting your GP for regular health checks for risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 1st August 2023