If You’re Having a Stroke, What’s Your Action Plan?

Strokes kill roughly 130,000 Americans annually, making it the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC. Early action can help save the life of someone suffering from a stroke — patients who arrive in the emergency department within three hours of their first symptoms tend to have less disability than those who receive delayed care. If you are unsure if someone is having a stroke, remembering the acronym "FAST" helps people recognize the most common symptoms of stroke:

• Face: Does one side of the face droop?
• Arm: If a person holds both arms out, does one drift downward?
• Speech: Is their speech abnormal or slurred?
• Time: It’s time to call 911 and get to the hospital if any of these symptoms are present.