Ask three questions to check if someone’s had a stroke
US cardiologists have come up with a quick and easy test that can tell whether someone’s had a stroke. Ask the person three questions:
· Can you raise your arms and keep them up?
· Can you smile?
· Can you speak a simple sentence?
If a person can do these three things it shows they’ve got a good range of functioning of their motor and nerve pathways and they’re lucid.
If the person has trouble with any of these tasks, it’s likely they’ve had a stroke. Call 000 immediately (in Australia) for an ambulance as speedy treatment is of the essence in saving lives and rehabilitation prospects.
If the person passes the test – can do all three actions – it’s highly likely they’re not suffering from a stroke. But they may still be unwell. It’s a good idea to take them to a doctor or the accident and emergency department of a hospital for a check-up.
The questions were devised by the American Stroke Association, based on a test used by healthcare professionals known as the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale – modified so that non-health professionals can use it.
