In emergency medicine we use FAST because time is everything in a stroke. Face: ask the person to smile and look for drooping on one side. Arms: ask them to raise both arms and see if one drifts down. Speech: ask them to repeat a simple sentence and listen for slurring. If any one of these signs is present, call 112 immediately. Note the exact time. Do not give food or water. Every minute without treatment in a stroke destroys nearly two million brain cells.
Written by Dr. Nilu Sunil, MBBS, DEM, FEM, FACEE, FRCEM (A), PGDHHM, PGDMLS, EMDM, MBA, Head of Emergency Medicine, SPARSH Hospital, Hennur Road, Bengaluru. 25+ years, 10,000+ emergency cases managed. CPR trainer: 30,000+ people trained. Phone: +91 9000888624.
