Stroke

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted. This can cause serious brain damage from a lack of oxygen. A stroke caused by a blood clot is called an ischemic stroke. A stroke caused by a burst or torn blood vessel is called an intracerebral hemorrhage, or a hemorrhagic stroke. When stroke symptoms go away completely within minutes to hours and do not cause damage, it is called a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA is a warning sign that you are at risk of soon having a stroke.

What are the warning signs of a stroke?

The words BE FAST can help you remember and recognize warning signs of a stroke:

  • B = Balance: Sudden loss of balance
  • E = Eyes: Loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • F = Face: Face droops on one side
  • A = Arms: Arm drops when both arms are raised
  • S = Speech: Speech is slurred or sounds different

T = Time: Time to get help immediately