Top 10 questions concerning stroke awareness

1. What is Stroke Awareness Month?

May is National Stroke Awareness month. It's an annual event to raise awareness of the lifesaving steps people can take to help someone experiencing a stroke.

2. How common is stroke?

Each year about 795,000 people have a stroke.

3. How can you tell if someone is having a stroke?

Learn the phrase BE FAST to remember stroke symptoms.

B = Balance: A sudden loss of balance or coordination.

E = Eyes: Blurred vision, double vision or sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.

F = Face: One side of the face sags or droops. There may be difficulty smiling.

A = Arm: Difficulty raising both arms. One arm may drift downward.

S = Speech: May be slurred or strange-sounding. The victim may struggle to repeat a single sentence.

T = Terrible Headache: The sudden onset of a terrible headache or "the worst headache of your life."

If you notice any of these signs, quickly call 911. Get the victim to the nearest hospital immediately. If you know the location of a nearby primary stroke center, that's an ideal place to go.

4. What if you don't live near a primary stroke center?

If you live in a community without around-the-clock access to stroke care providers, immediate care may be provided using technology called Telestroke.

5. What exactly is Telestroke?

At Aurora, Telestroke uses state-of-the-art telemedicine technology ? special cameras and microphones ? to facilitate communication between two locations. Telestroke allows stroke experts such as neurologists at one hospital to examine patients at another hospital miles away. The stroke expert works with local health care professionals to diagnose conditions and develop care plans.

For example, the stroke experts at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay collaborate with providers in Oshkosh, Manitowoc and Marinette to provide expert stroke care for stroke patients in Aurora hospitals in those communities.

6. How does Telestroke help stroke patients?

Patients can have a consultation with a stroke specialist anytime, day or night, and:

Provide 24/7/365 bedside access to stroke experts at more facilities

Allow treatments, such as clot-busting drugs, to be administered sooner

Reduce the risk for stroke-related disability

Reduce the need for patients to transfer to another facility

Allow ongoing professional treatment at the patient's local hospital

7. Does the American Heart Association endorse Telestroke technology?

The American Heart Association recommends using telemedicine within stroke care protocols.

8. Who is at greatest risk for stroke?

Age matters. The likelihood of having a stroke nearly doubles every 10 years after age 55.

9. How can a person reduce their stroke risk?

The American Stroke Association recommends regular checkups and treatment for various health conditions, if you have them. Having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or diabetes can all increase your stroke risk. Smoking also increases stroke risk.

10. If someone shows signs of stroke, what should I do first?

Calling 911 usually results in faster treatment than driving someone to the emergency department. If any of the symptoms described above strike suddenly, please BE FAST. Don't wait.

Dr. Amit Ray is neurology and oncology specialist at the Aurora Medical Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, 10400 75th St. His office can be reached at 262-948-7815.