Key Stroke Awareness: Recognize Stroke Warning Signs for Faster, Better Treatment

When a stroke occurs, “time is brain.” If you get to the hospital within 4 1/2 hours of the onset of a stroke, you may be a candidate for two major life-saving treatments.

May is Stroke Awareness Month, and Dr. Michael Adix, Medical Director of Beacon Kalamazoo’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, said it serves as a reminder to recognize the warning signs of stroke using the B.E.F.A.S.T. acronym:

• B. Balance – Sudden loss of balance or dizziness or loss of coordination
• E. Eyes – Sudden change in vision, like blurry vision
• F. Face – Facial droop if one side of the face is not moving correctly
• A. Arm – Weakness or numbness in one arm
• S. Speech Difficulty – Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, or difficulty understanding other people speaking
• T. Time to Call 911 – Get that person to the emergency department as quickly as possible

Rapid treatment is the single most important factor when someone is experiencing an acute stroke. There are two main types of strokes: one caused by a blood clot blocking blood flow to part of the brain, and another caused by bleeding into the brain.

“For people who are having smaller strokes, if they get to the hospital within 4 1/2 hours, they may be a candidate for a clot-busting medication to break up that clot and restore blood flow back to the brain,” Dr. Adix explained. “If a stroke patient has a large artery blocked leading to the brain, they can be a candidate for a procedure called a mechanical thrombectomy. In this procedure, we run a catheter from the artery in the groin to the artery in the brain to remove the blood clot.

Beacon Kalamazoo has received certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center from DNV (Det Norske Veritas), reflecting the highest level of competence for the treatment of serious stroke events. Beacon Kalamazoo’s highly specialized, 24/7 stroke care helps support better outcomes at a time when you need it most.

To learn more about stroke signs, risk factors and advanced stroke care at Beacon Kalamazoo, visit BeaconHealthSystem.org.