When someone is having a stroke, every second counts and acting quickly can mean the difference between a full recovery, a long-term disability, or even saving a life.
Watching a loved one go through this experience is incredibly scary, so ahead of Stroke Awareness Month (May) we spoke to some experts who have set out some useful guidelines on what you can do to help in this stressful situation, and what might be best to avoid.
Here are the seven key dos and don’ts to remember when you spot someone having a stroke…
1. Do use the FAST acronym
“The main thing to remember is the FAST test which stands for face, arms, speech and time,” says Emily Heard, public affairs and campaigns manager at Stroke Association. “It’s a simple, easy-to-remember test to help people quickly identify some of the most common signs of stroke.”
Dr Naila Aslam, GP at Central Health London, agrees and suggests asking your loved one a few questions if you suspect that they are having a stroke.
“If you’re unsure whether there’s a facial asymmetry, ask them to smile,” recommends Aslam. “That will allow you to really see their face because smiling engages muscles and helps any asymmetry become more obvious. It’s also a good way of assessing their cognition because sometimes people who are having a stroke can get a bit confused, disorientated and struggle to follow instructions.”
She also recommends asking them to raise their arms for a short period of time.
“A stroke tends to affect one side of the body, so if they really struggle and you notice an asymmetry, that could be a sign of a stroke,” says Aslam. “For the speech part. I would ask ‘Do you understand me?’. If their answers sound like slurs, call 999.”
2. Do act fast and call 999
“If you’re concerned, call 999 as soon as possible because with a stroke, ‘time is brain’,” says Heard. “If you see any of the FAST signs in your loved one, you need to immediately call 999 and don’t need to wait until all three signs show up.
“For every minute a stroke is left untreated, up to two million brain cells can die [according to The Stroke Association] and some of the really effective treatments such as thrombolysis and thrombectomy are much more effective the quicker they’re delivered.”
3. Do try to stay calm and note time of onset
“The most important thing to do is to stay calm, ring 999 and tell them what is going on, which I appreciate is easier said than done,” says Aslam.
“Telling them what time the symptoms started can be really useful because it allows the paramedics to be able to act very quickly and make decisions about whether that patient can have particular treatments, such as thrombolysis which has to be done within four and a half hours, and about which unit to take them to.”
4. Do try to keep them in a comfortable, upright position
“Make sure that you stay with the patient and monitor their deterioration so that you can give all the information to the paramedics,” advises Aslam. “Keep them safe and comfortable, and try to keep them upright and their head elevated rather than flopped down.
“Also, try to keep them awake.”
5. Don’t give them any food, drink and medication
“Don’t give them any food or drink because patients often experience swallowing difficulties during a stroke and there’s a risk of choking and what we call ‘aspirating’, which is when food or liquid goes down into the wrong pathway,” says Aslam.
“It’s also important to not give the patient any medications, particularly aspirin, before they have been assessed by a paramedic.”
6. Don’t delay and wait for symptoms to pass
“Sometimes stroke symptoms can come on and then disappear, but it’s really important to not wait to see if they clear up,” says Heard. “Even if the symptoms seem to have gone away and you start to feel better, it’s still really important to get your loved one assessed urgently.”
7. Don’t drive them to hospital yourself
“Do not drive the patient yourself because they may deteriorate and you might struggle to get them out of the car,” says Aslam. “They need paramedics and professional support so that they can go to the right unit, so always call 999.”
For anyone who wants to find out more about stroke, how to reduce their risk, and to spot the signs in a loved one visit stroke.org.uk and anyone affected by stroke can call the Stroke Support helpline on 0303 3033 100.
