Ad Campaign to Help You Spot a Stroke
Every 40 seconds a stroke occurs in the United States, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
To raise awareness about F.A.S.T. — an acronym to recognize and respond to the sudden warning signs of stroke, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and Ad Council are unveiling a new, national multimedia public service advertisement (PSA) campaign.
F.A.S.T. is designed to help bystanders spot a stroke fast because the quicker a stroke victim receives medical attention, the greater his or her chances of survival and a better recovery.
F.A.S.T. stands for:
- Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
- Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like: “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
- Time to call 9-1-1 – If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get them to the hospital immediately.
The new television, radio, print, outdoor and Web PSAs were created pro bono by advertising agency Grey New York, and communicate that body language can signal that someone’s having a stroke.
Through the PSAs, audiences are directed to visit www.strokeassociation.org for more information and to learn how to spot a stroke fast.
