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1. Stamp Out Stroke:
It’s a Family Matter
Know the Signs, Know the
Numbers
(add your hospital logo here)

2. Stamp Out Stroke
The Stroke Coordinators of CT and (your hospital) are
launching a 2010 Stamp Out Stroke (SOS)
Campaign.
As a healthcare worker, your health comes first!
This program will help you and your co-workers at
(your hospital) understand stroke risk factors, the
signs and symptoms of stroke, and the importance
of calling 9-1-1.
“JUST GET HERE”

3. First, let’s test your
stroke “smarts”.
1. True or False?
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the
United States.
2. True or False?
Strokes can occur at any age.

4. stroke “smarts” continued
3. A stroke occurs in which part of the
body?
a. The heart
b. The brain
c. The liver
d. The kidney

5. stroke “smarts” continued
4. Which of the following is a symptom of an
ischemic stroke ?
a. sudden difficulty speaking
b. sudden face droop
c. sudden weakness in one arm
d. all are possible symptoms of stroke

6. stroke “smarts” continued
5. Which of the following may be a
symptom of a hemorrhagic stroke?
a. sudden chest pain
b. sudden severe headache
c. sudden lower back pain
d. severe sweating

7. 6. What is the first step you should take
after recognizing that someone might be
having a stroke?
a. Offer to call the person’s doctor
b. Begin CPR
c. Wait to see if the symptoms go away
d. Call 9-1-1
stroke “smarts” continued

8. 7. Why is it important to get a person with stroke
symptoms to the hospital as fast as possible?
a. Quick treatment will help save brain
b. The person may be having a seizure
c. T-P-A can be used for a hemorrhagic
stroke
d. The person may lose consciousness
stroke “smarts” continued

9. 8. Which action will not reduce your risk of
having a stroke?
a. Stop smoking
b. Take vitamin supplements
c. Take your blood pressure medicine
d. Lower your BMI to less than 30
stroke “smarts” continued

10. stroke “smarts” continued
9. What is a TIA ?
a. “trouble in arteries” a problem with the
formation of blood vessels
b. “temporary insane actions,” referring to
unusual behavior associated with strokes
c. “transient ischemic attack,” a mini-stroke that
resolves within minutes to hours
d. None of the above

11. stroke “smarts” continued
10. F.A.S.T. stands for
a. Falls, Assess, Stats, Train
b. Fact, Act, Store, TPA
c. Face, Arm, Speech, Time
d. Restricting food intake after stroke

12. What Is Stroke ?
A stroke occurs when blood flow
to the brain is interrupted by
a blocked or burst blood vessel
Sometimes referred to as a brain attack or
CVA

13. There are two types of
strokes
Ischemic (is-KEE-mik) Stroke
Is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel
in the brain
Hemorrhagic (hem-or-RA-jik) Stroke
Is caused by a burst or leaking blood
vessel in the brain

14. When you think someone is having
stroke symptoms … act F.A.S.T.
Face:
Does the face look uneven? Ask the
person to smile.
Arms:
Does one arm drift down? Ask the
person to raise both arms.
Speech:
Does their speech sound strange?
Ask the person to repeat a simple
phrase for example, “ The sky is
blue”
Time: Time to call 9-1-1

15. Being stroke smart is
as easy as
A – B – C …

16. A …
Adopt a healthy lifestyle by
•Getting enough exercise
•Getting plenty of rest
•Following a nutritious diet
•Reducing stress

17. B …
Be aware of your risk factors that
you can change, or modify, such as
• high blood pressure
• some types of Diabetes
• a smoking habit
• high cholesterol levels

18. C …
Collect your family history because:
Family history of stroke is a risk factor you
cannot change or modify.
Members of your family may have
conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol
levels or sickle cell disease that may
lead to stroke.

19. D …
Diabetes is a risk factor for stroke
If you have diabetes, know your target blood
sugar.
High blood sugars can cause blood vessels
in the brain to clot or leak, causing a
stroke.

20. E …
Excessive alcohol intake can lead
to stroke so … drink moderately.
Women should have no more than one
alcoholic drink per day.
Men should have no more than two
alcoholic drinks per day.

21. F …
Find out which hospital in your area is a
Primary Stroke Center.
Danbury Hospital is a certified
Primary Stroke Center by the
Joint Commission and the
CT Department of Health

22. G …
Get movin’ by exercising.
You should try to exercise thirty minutes a
day most days of the week.

23. H …
High blood pressure (hypertension)
is the # 1 risk factor for stroke.
Losing weight and lowering the salt in
your diet will help lower your blood
pressure.
Normal blood pressure is less than
120/80.

24. I …
Ischemic stroke occurs when blood
flow to the brain is blocked. It is the
most common type of stroke.
Take your prescribed medicines (like
aspirin) to prevent a first or second
stroke.

25. J …
Just call 9-1-1
Just Get Here
if you have stroke symptoms.
Don’t call your doctor
Don’t drive yourself
Don’t call Aunt Lucy in Arizona

26. K …
LIPID PROFILE TARGET NUMBERS
Total cholesterol Less than 200 mg/dl
HDL (good) cholesterol Greater than 40 mg/dl
LDL (bad) cholesterol Less than 100 mg/dl
Know your cholesterol numbers.

27. L …
Lowering your cholesterol can be
done by following these tips:
• Lose weight
• Increase fruits and vegetables in your diet
• Take your cholesterol medicine
• Limit your alcohol intake

28. M …
Measure yourself !
Keep track of your weight and height.
This is known as Body Mass Index or
BMI.
Waist size (or circumference) should
also be measured. Normal waist size
should be less than 40 inches for men
and less than 35 inches for women.

29. N …
Never delay getting to the hospital if you
think you are having stroke symptoms.
T-P-A is a clot busting medicine used to
treat an ischemic stroke and can only be
given within x hours after symptoms
begin.

30. O …
Obesity is a major health problem in adults and
children. People with a BMI greater than 30 are
obese.
Obesity leads to many other health problems such
as heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Diet and exercise will help prevent excessive
weight gain.

31. P …
Palpitations or an irregular heart rate may be
a symptom of a heart rhythm called atrial
fibrillation (a-fib).
A-fib may cause a blood clot from the heart
to travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

32. Q …
Quit smoking because …
it is a serious health risk that leads to stroke
and other life-threatening conditions.
Nicotine raises blood pressure, heart rate
and makes the blood clot more easily.

33. R …
Remember: A TIA (transient ischemic
attack) may be a “warning sign” before a
stroke.
A person who has a TIA is 10 times more
likely to have a stroke in the future.
Even if symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 right
away, and don’t delay.

34. S …
Stroke facts you should know
• Someone in the US has a stroke almost every
45 seconds.
• Although strokes occur at any age, as we get
older, our risk for stroke increases.
• Having a close family member who has had a
stroke will increase your risk for stroke.

35. T …
Teach your family, friends, and co-workers
how to recognize stroke symptoms and
what to do when someone is having a
stroke.
Call 9-1-1
Just get here !

36. U …
Understand that “minutes
matter”.
The faster you get to the
hospital, the quicker we can
treat your stroke.

37. V …
Be Vocal about stroke symptoms.
Be Vocal about calling 9-1-1.
Be Vocal about reducing stroke risk
Share the smarts!
When you get here, we’ll be ready.

38. W …
Warning signs of stroke generally happen suddenly.
Sudden speech problems or sudden weakness or
sudden facial droop are all symptoms that could
be a stroke.
You may be the one to recognize stroke symptoms
in your family member or co-worker – so you need
to know how to call for help.
When at work, call
____________________________

39. X …
You can be part of giving eXcellent stroke
care to patients at (your hospital)
Know how to call your stroke team if
someone at your hospital is having a
stroke.
When at work, call
_____________________

40. Y …
Yawning can be a symptom of poor
sleeping habits.
If you snore at night, you may have sleep
apnea (a condition in which you
temporarily stop breathing during sleep).
Sleep apnea is a risk factor for stroke.

41. Z …
Zero is the number of strokes we
are aiming for in Connecticut.
A stroke can be prevented if you
know your A – B – C s

42. Thank you!!