One in four people will suffer from a ‘brain attack’, but noticing these early signs will avert the more serious long-term effects. Every day in NZ more than 27 people suffer the catastrophic impact of a stroke. More than 10,000 strokes are experienced every year.
Sometimes seen as “brain attacks”, these happen when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted, cutting off the oxygen and nutrients our brain cells need to survive. As brain cells (neurones) can die within minutes, strokes are right up there with heart attacks for being the medical emergencies we most dread. They can cause profound life-altering disabilities, such as losing the ability to speak or use certain parts of your body.
And sadly, one in four of us will suffer one at some point in our lives. How to think FAST and recognise the signs of a stroke.
