From: Public Health England
First published: 29 October 2015
New film released by Public Health England and the Stroke Association urges people to call 999 immediately if they spot signs of stroke.
An image from the ACT FAST campaign
Public Health England (PHE) and the Stroke Association are urging the public to Act FAST if they spot signs of stroke with the aim of saving lives and improving outcomes for survivors.
A person loses 2 million nerve cells every minute that they do not receive medical treatment during a stroke. Nerve cells are the core components of the brain, spinal cord and central nervous system and the more that are lost, the greater the chance of slurred speech, paralysis and permanent disability.
If left untreated, a stroke could result in permanent disability or death.
The latest Act FAST campaign will again urge the public to call 999 if they notice any of the stroke symptoms in others or experience them themselves. The Act FAST campaign message is:
Face – has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?
Arms – can they raise both their arms and keep them there?
Speech – is their speech slurred?
Time – time to call 999
Recognising the signs of stroke and acting quickly so that the person can get to hospital within the vital 3 hour window results in a greater chance of recovery as well as reduced likelihood of permanent disability and lesser need for extensive rehabilitation.
Since the Act FAST campaign launched in 2009, an additional 41,382 people have got to hospital within the vital 3 hour window, meaning that those affected by stroke receive the immediate medical treatment required. Figures released by PHE earlier this year also show that since the campaign launch, over 4,000 fewer people became disabled as a result of a stroke in the period.
To illustrate how every minute counts during a stroke and to encourage people to Act FAST, PHE and Stroke Association have today released a thought provoking animated film. The animation depicts the possible outcome of 2 scenarios for a stroke survivor – one where they receive the immediate medical attention required and another where calling for an ambulance is delayed (based on a real life story).
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/worl ... m-releasedStatistics: Posted by maureenho — 29 Oct 2015, 11:30
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