Would you recognize the signs of a stroke if you saw them? It's worrying that not many people do. With strokes accounting for around 137,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, they are the third most common cause of death in the U.S. and the second in the UK.

Knowing what to look out for could make the difference between life and death as every second counts. There is however, an easy way of remembering how to recognize the early signs of a stroke.

What is a Stroke

A stroke is what happens when vital blood supply to the brain is cut off. This can happen in two ways:

1. Ischemic Stroke:
This type of stroke is responsible for around 87% of all strokes and occurs when blood supply to the brain becomes blocked by a blood clot or a build up of deposits in the artery.

2. Hemorrhagic Stroke:
Although this type of stroke only happens in about 13% of cases, it's the cause of up to 30% of all deaths from strokes and is the result of a blood vessel breaking and allowing blood to leak into the brain.

Main Signs of a Stroke

The speed of diagnosing and treating a stroke is crucial. To help make it easier to recognize signs of a stroke, the widely used acronym, FAST, is helpful for remembering what to look out for. FAST stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time.

FACE: Watch carefully for facial signs such as a sudden drooping of the eyelids or side of the mouth. They may not be able to smile properly and their head may fall to one side;

ARMS: A stroke sufferer may find it difficult to raise or hold their arms up because of numbness or weakness;

SPEECH: They may begin to slur their words or have difficulty in speaking;

TIME: Every second counts. If any of the above signs are present, call the emergency services at once.

Up to 90% of stroke cases are identified using the FAST test.  Every minute that someone is suffering the effects of a stroke, they are susceptible to losing around two million irreplaceable brain cells. For vital blood clot dissolving treatment to work, it must be given within the first three hours of the onset of symptoms.

Additional Signs

Sometimes the major signs of a stroke aren't always clear cut. In this case, watch the patient to see if they're having difficulty with swallowing or they experience the onset of a sudden severe headache. They may have trouble balancing, communicating or feel dizzy, weak and numb down one side of the body, or even lose consciousness.

Mini Stroke (TIA - Transient Ischemic Attack)

Not everyone showing the FAST signs is having a stroke.  Indeed, the patient may have undergone what is known as a mini stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). The signs are the same however the symptoms only last for a few minutes or hours with no resulting permanent damage. But TIA’s should be treated as a warning and with the same concern as stroke sufferers since up to 40% of those experiencing a TIA will go on to have a full on stroke within the next four weeks.

Effects of a Stroke

The consequences of a stroke can be long term or temporary with around half of all stroke sufferers being left with some kind of permanent disability. It all depends on which areas of the brain were affected and the extent of the damage. Damaged cells can sometimes repair themselves but those that have been destroyed cannot. In some cases, such as when speech has been lost, the functions of dead brain cells can be taken over by another part of the brain leading to partial or full recovery.

What to Do

If you suspect someone is suffering the signs of a stroke, make a note of the time any symptoms were first observed and call the emergency services immediately. Don't be put off calling if their symptoms stop because they should still undergo tests to see whether they are at risk of an imminent stroke.

Strokes are one of the main causes of death in the western world and as such, early recognition of symptoms is paramount. The simple acronym, FAST, is an easy way of remembering Face, Arms, Speech and Time as the key signs to look for with the first three hours being crucial for successful treatment. Remember, you can save someones life or limit their disability by getting to hospital and acting FAST.