In a Medical Emergency call Netcare 911 on 082 911
9
08 Know the signs of a stroke
Know the symptoms of a stroke by using the acronym BE FAST to
identify a stroke; balance, eyes, face, arms, speech and time.
It could save your life or someone else's!
BE FAST
Balance – sudden difficulty maintaining balance.
Eyes – loss of sight in one eye or blurry vision.
Face drooping – weak facial muscles often cause one side of the
face to droop.
Arm or leg weakness – weakness in one or more arms or legs and
possible numbness down one side of the body.
Speech difficulty – slurred words, the use of incorrect words or no
ability to speak at all.
Time - Call Netcare 911 on 082 911 and get to the hospital
immediately. Every second counts!
The Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale is a system used to diagnose a potential
stroke in a pre-hospital setting. It tests three signs for abnormal findings which
may indicate that the patient is having a stroke. If any one of the three tests shows
abnormal findings, the patient may be having a stroke and should be transported to
a hospital as soon as possible.
