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Quick action is vital in the stroke
Every year around 270,000 people in Germany suffer a stroke. Almost one in four victims dies within the first year of the consequences. Accordingly, the sudden onset of brain disease after heart attack and cancer is the third leading cause of death in Germany.
Typical signs of a stroke include u.a. sudden failures such as a paralysis, visual or speech disorders. In such cases, action must be taken quickly. In order to be able to assess the situation correctly in a few seconds, the so-called FAST rule offers good assistance, according to the German Stroke Assistance Foundation.
Cerebral infarction: These are the first indications. Image: psdesign1 - fotolia Vision and speech disorders can be an important warning sign
Double or blurred vision, a lolling, slurred speech, severe headache or sudden unilateral paralysis: these are just a few typical symptoms that may indicate a stroke. Even sudden balance problems, dizziness, numbness in arm, leg or facial area as well as a one-sided drooping corner of the mouth can be warning signals that must be taken seriously.
After all, according to the German Stroke Society (DSG), stroke represents the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of disability in adults.
If suspected call the emergency doctor immediately
It is therefore always an emergency in which the person affected needs to be professionally cared for as soon as possible and taken to a hospital. Accordingly, it is important that immediately the emergency call is placed under 112, emphasizes the Foundation German stroke aid on the occasion of today's World Stroke Day. If insecurity, the so-called FAST rule can help to recognize a stroke and to act properly.
The "F" stands for "Face", because helpers should make those affected smile. If the face is unilaterally paralyzed or warped, this can be an important indication of a stroke. Next to this, the patient is asked to stretch their arms forward and turn their palms up ("A" for "arms"). If there is a one-sided paralysis, this movement can not be carried out or the arms can not be held in this position.
FAST Rule initiates symptom review
The "S" for speech (speech) indicates that speech disorders often occur in a stroke. If the affected person suddenly can not articulate correctly, but instead speaks indistinctly, loudly or with long pauses, this can also be an important sign. "T" means according to the FAST rule "time" and should remind you that 112 is chosen immediately and the symptoms are described in the mentioned warning signals, according to the information of the Foundation German Stroke Help.
"Every minute counts because brain tissue dies and functions are lost. We can treat many patients well today if they get to a stroke unit on time, "explains the Bielefeld neurologist and regional representative of the German Stroke Help Foundation, Prof. Dr. med. Wolf-Rüdiger Schäbitz.
App provides mobile emergency support
As a "mobile emergency companion" a free stroke app can be used, which has developed the German Stroke Help for smartphones and tablets with the operating system iOS and Android. This includes, among other things, the FAST test and numerous information on stroke symptoms, in addition, the user gets understandable descriptions of action and the possibility of direct dialing 112, according to the information of the Foundation.
Anyone who wants to use the app to act safer in an emergency, but should be familiar with the content before, advises Urs-Vito Albrecht Peter L. Reichertz Institute of Medical Informatics at the Medical School of Hannover. "If this later results in a faster decision to trigger the emergency call, that would be a great result," Albrecht told the news agency "dpa". Those who had no way to do so, should focus in an emergency on the alerting of the emergency doctor and provide first aid. Because in this specific situation "[...] the circumstances are usually unfamiliar, chaotic and hectic, so that there will hardly be any rest to deal with an app", adds the expert, who has been working on health apps for years , (No)