Page 88 - 2020 ARE eGuide for Clinical at Bethesda

How do you know if someone is having a stroke?

Signs and symptoms of a stroke begin suddenly and may include:

• Numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side
of the body
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding
• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Severe headache with no known cause

If you or anyone else is having signs or symptoms of a stroke, immediate
emergency care is needed, just like if someone was having a heart attack. If
medical treatment begins soon after symptoms are noticed, fewer brain cells may
be permanently damaged.

To access emergency help for a possible stroke victim, call your emergency
number for a Code BEFAST.