Stroke Signs or Symptoms

If you have a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1.

Stroke is a Medical Emergency

If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately and note the time when symptoms first appeared. Do not drive yourself or wait for a ride from a friend or family member. Have an ambulance take you to a hospital that is a stroke receiving center right away.

Ask your physician for tips on managing your current health conditions to reduce your risk for stroke. Take charge of your health, so you not only know how to reduce your risk, but can recognize the signs of stroke

Designated MemorialCare Stroke Receiving Centers

• MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center
• MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center

Stroke Warning Signs or Symptoms

Signs or symptoms for stroke seen in both men and women may include sudden:

• Numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.
• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

*Signs/symptoms compiled from the National Stroke Association.

If You Think Someone May Be Having a Stroke, B.E. F.A.S.T:

	B – BALANCE Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
	E – EYES Are there sudden vision changes?
	F – FACE Does one side of the face droop when the person smiles?
	A – ARM or Leg Weakness: Does one arm/leg drift downward when raised?
	S – SPEECH Having difficulty understanding speech? Is speech slurred or strange?
	T – TIME If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Every minute counts for stroke patients and knowing how to B.E. F.A.S.T. can lead patients to the stroke treatments they desperately need. Potentially life-saving medication can be administered within three hours of the sudden symptom onset to reverse stroke.

If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately and note the time when symptoms first appeared.