Issue link: https://www.hub.camaf.co.za/i/1487724
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! B - Balance Sudden difficulty maintaining balance. E - Eyes Loss of sight in one eye or blurry vision. F - Face drooping Weak facial muscles often cause one side of the face to droop. A - Arm or leg weakness Weakness in one or more arms or legs and possible numbness down one side of the body. S - Speech difficulty Slurred words, the use of incorrect words or no ability to speak at all. T - Time In an emergency every second counts. Call Netcare 911 on 082 911. Alternatively, tap the Netcare 911 button on the Netcare app for medical assistance to get to the hospital immediately. Interpretation: If any one of these three signs is abnormal, the probability of a stroke is 72%. The Cincinnati Pre-hospital 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 Netcare hospital as soon as possible. Know the signs of a stroke Need emergency medical assistance? Call Netcare 911 on 082 911 or download the Netcare app Cincinnati Pre-hospital Stroke Scale 1. Arms drift: Patient closes eyes and holds both arms out for 10 seconds. 2. Facial droop: Have patient show teeth or smile. 3. Abnormal speech: Have the patient say "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Normal: Patient uses correct words with no slurring. Abnormal: Patient slurs words, uses the wrong words, or is unable to speak. Normal Both sides of the face move equally. Abnormal One side of face does not move as well as the other side. Normal Both arms move the same or both arms do not move at all. Abnormal One arm does not move or drifts down compared to the other.