Each year, millions people will suffer from a stroke and many of them will die, making stroke the second cause of death worldwide. As many survivors will have long lasting disabilities, life after stroke will not be the same.

World Stroke Day takes place on Oct 29th every year and is established to increase awareness and drive action on stroke around the world. Today on World Stroke Day 2021, we focus on the importance of time with the social media hashtag #Precioustime.

The well-known phrase “time is brain” underlines that brain tissue is rapidly dying as stroke progresses. When somebody has a stroke, nearly 2 million neurons are lost each minute if the stroke is left untreated. So for patients experiencing acute ischemic stroke, every second counts. By creating awareness for fast treatment of acute stroke with the #Precioustime campaign, more patient can get the right emergency medical care on time.

Visit the World Stroke Day homepage for more information on this year’s theme and the World Stroke Day 2021 Tools.

Fast access to treatment saves lives and improves recovery. If you spot the signs of stroke, call an ambulance immediately.

Use the letters in F.A.S.T to spot a Stroke and take action.

F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?

A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?

T = Time to call an ambulance