06-05-2025
Signs of Stroke: what to know for Stroke Awareness Month
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Strokes affect approximately 800,000 Americans annually. For National Stroke Awareness Month, CHRISTUS Health is helping people identify the signs of a stroke.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, and every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies from a stroke.
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'Identifying stroke symptoms and quickly dialing 911 can mean the difference between survival and death, or between complete recovery and lasting impairment,' said Alysce Parish, stroke program manager at CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System.
A stroke, also referred to as a brain attack, is when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. Stroke victims who receive care within three to four hours of the first symptoms can typically reduce or avoid major long-term disabilities.
'The sooner, the better,' Parish said.
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People can identify symptoms by remembering the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T.:
B : Balance – Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
E : Eyes – Is there sudden blurred or double vision?
F : Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
A : Arm – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S : Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T: Time – If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately, as time is crucial.
Those who have a stroke are more susceptible to experiencing another one, with almost 200,000 recurrent strokes happening yearly. According to CHRISTUS Health, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and diabetes are major contributors to stroke, affecting one in three U.S. adults.
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Those with atrial fibrillation are also more likely to experience more severe strokes compared to those with other risk factors.
'Life after stroke can be divided into three outcomes,' Parish said. 'One third of stroke survivors will experience a disability, another third will live normally, and the final third, unfortunately, will succumb to the stroke. This highlights the critical need to adhere to preventative measures to lower your stroke risk.'
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