SHREVEPORT, La. — As part of National Stroke Awareness Month, CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System is urging the community to recognize the signs of stroke — a medical emergency that affects nearly 800,000 Americans each year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds. Every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone dies from one.
“Identifying stroke symptoms and quickly dialing 911 can mean the difference between survival and death, or between complete recovery and lasting impairment,” said Alysce Parish, stroke program manager at CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier.
A stroke, often referred to as a “brain attack,” occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a clot or bleeding. Prompt medical treatment — typically within the first three to four hours of symptom onset — greatly improves outcomes and reduces the risk of long-term disability.
To help the public act fast, CHRISTUS encourages everyone to remember the B.E.F.A.S.T. acronym:
- B – Balance: Sudden loss of coordination or balance
- E – Eyes: Blurred or double vision
- F – Face: Facial drooping on one side
- A – Arms: Weakness or downward drift in one arm
- S – Speech: Slurred or unusual speech
- T – Time: Call 911 immediately if any symptoms are present
Stroke survivors remain at high risk for recurrence, with nearly 200,000 secondary strokes reported annually. Common risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation, which significantly increases the severity of strokes.
“Life after stroke can be divided into three outcomes,” Parish said. “One-third of survivors will experience a disability, another third will recover and live normally, and the final third will not survive. That’s why prevention and early recognition are critical.”
To learn more about stroke prevention, care, and recovery, visit christushealth.org.