A stroke is a medical emergency. It is often referred to as a "brain attack" because the blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrient. When this happens, brain cells start to die and abilities controlled by that area of the brain, such as memory and muscle control, are lost.
In 2019,
· 22,000 Georgians were hospitalized for acute stroke or transient ischemic attack
o i.e. about 58 per day or one Georgian afflicted by stroke every 25 minutes
· 4,528 died from stroke
o i.e. about 12 per day or one Georgian dying from stroke every two hours
· Total stroke hospitalization charges were more than $1.6 billion
In Georgia,
· Non-Hispanic blacks are 60% more likely to be hospitalized for acute stroke than non-Hispanic whites
· Non-Hispanic blacks are 32% more likely to die from acute stroke than non-Hispanic whites
F.A.S.T.
Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven or lopsided?
Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? As the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Speech – Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
Time to Call 9-1-1
For more information visit https://dph.georgia.gov/stroke