My City June 2021

B.E. F.A.S.T. Commit to Stroke Prevention, ŽǁljȶɽȈˎ ƺƃɽȈɁȶ ƃȶǁ ƺɽȈɁȶ

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“To identify a stroke,” adds Lanning, “remember the acronym BE FAST and, once identified, call 9-1-1 immediately.Time is crucial.” Above all, BE FAST! During a stroke,everyminute wcounts.Fast treatment can lessen the damage a stroke can cause. If you or someone else has any symptoms, take action right away. HurleyMedical Center is fully committed to continuouslymonitoring the outcome of stroke patients and delivering the quality of life that they deserve.“Hurley is recognized as a primary stroke center by the joint commission and recently received theGet with theGuidelines® – Stroke Gold Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association,”says Lanning. “We strive to achieve higher standards in a process that supports better outcomes for our patients.”As a primary stroke center,Hurley provides on-call neurologist and neurosurgeon,dedicated operating room,MRI andCT imaging, fast thrombolytic therapy (clot-bustingmedication) and occupational,physical and speech therapies to aid in recovery.“We provide a wholemedical team that is ready at amoment’s notice to help stroke victims,”adds Lanning.“Every stroke is an emergency.Don’t hesitate to call for help.Hurley will be there to help you through it all.” x 9ӝKӝ yӝ ӝČӝěӝ ɰɽƃȶǁɰ ǹɁɨӖ B alance Does the personhave a sudden loss of balance? E yes Is the person experiencing double vision or loss of vision in one eye? Does one arm drift downward? Have the person raise both arms. S peech Is the person slurring their speech or having difficulty speaking? T ime It’s time to act. Call 9-1-1 and get the person to a certified stroke center immediately. F ace A rms Is one side of the face drooping? Ask the person to smile.

C ount to 40. Finished? In that time, one person in the United States had a stroke. Every four minutes, a person dies of a stroke and each year, approximately 795,000 people are stricken. Strokes can happen to anyone at any age and at any time.They are deadly and the leading cause of serious long-term disability – but all is not lost.With simple lifestyle changes and speedy identification and action, strokes can be prevented and outcomes improved. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts (or rup tures). When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so brain cells die. According to Hurley Medical Center Stroke Coordinator, Cristi Lanning, RN, BSN, making small changes to your lifestyle can lessen your chances of having a stroke. “There are some simple steps that anyone can take to reduce risk,” she says. “Lowering your cholesterol, increas ing physical activity, limiting alcohol, eliminating smoking and maintaining a healthy weight can go a long way toward avoiding a stroke in the future.” And, if you or a loved one suffers a stroke, proper identification and speed is crucial to lessen the after-effects.