Study assesses public awareness of stroke signs

A STUDY to assess public awareness of the warning signs of stroke is being launched by a team of nurse researchers from University College Cork (UCC) to tie in with the biggest national media campaign the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF) has ever run.

The study will effectively assess the impact of FAST, the IHF’s nationwide stroke awareness campaign which kicks off this month.

FAST stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time and refers to the main symptoms of stroke people should look for, including whether the face of the possible victim has fallen to one side; whether they can raise both arms and keep them there and whether their speech is slurred. The time element of the campaign slogan refers to the need to immediately contact emergency services if you suspect someone has suffered a stroke.