May 5, 2025 – (EAST TEXAS) – May is National Stroke Awareness Month and CHRISTUS Health is encouraging people to know the signs of a stroke, which affects nearly 800,000 Americans each year and nearly 15 million worldwide.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke, and there are more than 450 deaths from stroke each day.
“Stroke recovery and survival can be a matter of minutes and, quite frankly, seconds,” said Kala Anders, stroke program manager at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. “Being able to recognize the signs and calling 911 immediately may make the difference in having a strong recovery, a long-term disability or even death.”
A stroke occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
Anders said that, generally, if a stroke patient receives treatment within three or four hours of the first symptoms, major long-term disabilities can be reduced or eliminated.
“The quicker the better,” she says.
The easiest way to recognize symptoms is the acronym BEFAST.
B: Balance – Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
E: Eyes – Is there sudden blurred or double vision?
F: Face – Ask the person to smile. Does one side of their face droop?
A: Arm – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S: Speech – Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? T: Time – If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately, as time is very important.
If you are a stroke survivor, you are at a higher risk of having another stroke as nearly 200,000 strokes occur in people who have had a previous stroke, Anders said.
According to the American Stroke Association, eight key factors can increase your risk of stroke: smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obesity, poor sleep routines, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.
People with atrial fibrillation are prone to suffer more serious strokes than those with other underlying factors.
“Life after a stroke can be broken down into thirds,” Anders said. “A third of people will live with a disability after a stroke, a third will live a normal life and a third, unfortunately, die from a stroke. This is why it is so imperative to follow preventative measures, to hopefully reduce your risk of a stroke.”
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