Every 40 seconds, a stroke occurs in the United States, and Ad Council  research shows that 28% of Americans wouldn’t recognize the signs.

When it comes to stroke, time is critical. F.A.S.T. is an acronym that can help people to spot a stroke quickly, so that they can get medical help as soon as possible.

F.A.S.T. is:

• Face Drooping - Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
• Arm Weakness - Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?        
• Speech Difficulty - Is speech slurred? Is he or she unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "the sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• Time to call 911 - If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get him or her to the hospital immediately.

The quicker you get to a hospital, the quicker you can potentially get critical treatment that may reduce disability and death from stroke.  

The American Heart Association (AHA)  and American Stroke Association (ASA)  have joined with the Ad Council to launch their first national multimedia public service campaign to raise awareness about F.A.S.T.

For more educational resources on the warning signs and critical response steps for stroke, please see the following PSAs and F.A.S.T. infographic. You can also read this blog post  by the actor best known as Hercules, Kevin Sorbo, on his life changing experience after suffering stroke.

For more information on the campaign visit:  www.strokeassociation.org