Every year more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke, making it the fifth leading cause of death for Americans.
May is National Stroke Awareness Month and CHI St. Alexius Health is offering free stoke screenings. Medical experts say it’s very important for everyone to know their risk, young people included. The screening consisted of a cholesterol check, blood glucose test, blood pressure assessment and BMI (body mass index assessment). According to CHI St. Alexius Health some of the risk factors associated with stroke includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, smoking and not getting enough exercise.
Experts say you can reduce your risk of stroke by making healthy lifestyle choices and exercising regularly. The aim is to get people educated about risk factors, how to reduce your chance of a stroke and to know the symptoms. The acronym F.A.S.T can be used to assess the symptoms of a stroke. F.A.S.T stands for face, arms, speech and time.
“The acronym F.A.S.T…which is facial, any facial paralysis, things like that you notice. Arms, for if you lift your arms and it drifts down,” said JuLann Wiseman, Stroke Program Coordinator at CHI St. Alexius. “That might be the symptom of a stroke. S is for speech and T is for time. It’s very very important to call 911 if any symptoms occur.”
On Friday, May 8th, CHI St. Alexius Health will be offering a free vascular screening to check for plaque build-up in the arteries. The screening will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Technology and Education Center. Appointments are required. To schedule one, call 701 530 7749.
KFYR TV Reporting