May is Stroke Awareness Month.
Would you be able to recognize it if someone you love was having a stroke?
Dr. Anthony Kim, Associate Professor of Neurology and head of the UCSF Stroke Center, told KCBS Radio's "As Prescribed" on Thursday that those most at risk tend to be older adults and people with high blood pressure.
"The causes of stroke might be a little bit different in younger ages," he added. "But, everyone is potentially at risk, and everyone is potentially a witness and someone who could recognize stroke symptoms in a loved one."
He said there are concerns that some strokes might have been missed as people stayed away from hospitals over the past year.
"What we were finding during the pandemic was that I think there were some folks maybe with milder symptoms, or symptoms where they weren’t sure that they were stroke or not, were deciding not to come in an be evaluated," he explained. "That led to missed opportunities to reverse the long term effects of stroke."
But Dr. Kim stressed the importance of watching for signs.
One way to remember is to use the acronym - F.A.S.T.
F as in Face Drooping. Look out for drooping on one side.
A is for Arm Weakness. Ask your loved one to lift them both, and check if one starts drifting down.
S is for Speech. slurring or having language difficulties are warning signs.
T is for Time. It's time to call 911.
"It really is time to call 911. If you think someone is having a stroke, call 911 because time is of the essence in terms of recognition and treatment," he added.
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