Stroke

Dr Lynn Thomas, OStJ, BSc, MB.BS, MA, FRCPClinically reviewed: 28/04/2025

A stroke is a medical emergency and you need to act FAST.

What is a stroke?

A stroke can occur when blood supply to the brain is disrupted and starves the brain of oxygen. It is caused by either a blockage or a bleed in the brain's blood vessels.

Signs and symptoms

Look for:

Facial weakness - uneven smile, droopy mouth, or eye.
Arm weakness - can they raise both arms?
Speech problems - can they speak clearly?

A good way to remember what to look for is using the acronym FAST, which stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time (meaning it's time to call 999 or 112).

Other symptoms may include:

numbness
blurred vision
confusion
dizziness
headaches
feeling or being sick

What to do

1
F – facial weakness.
Look at their mouth or eyes – they may be droopy and they might not be able to smile evenly.
2
A – arm weakness.
Ask them to raise both of their arms. They may only be able to raise one.
3
S - speech problems. They are unable to speak clearly or might not be able to understand what you are saying to them.
Ask them a question, such as ‘What is your name?’ Can they respond appropriately?
4
T – time to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and tell them you suspect a stroke after using the FAST guide.
5
While waiting for help to arrive, keep them comfortable, supported, and reassure them.
Do not give them anything to eat or drink because it may be hard for them to swallow.
6
Keep monitoring their level of response until help arrives.
If they become unresponsive, prepare to treat them as an unresponsive casualty.