PHOENIX – As World Stroke Day – observed on Tuesday, October 29 – fast approaches, Abrazo Health is encouraging the community to learn more about the signs, symptoms, and treatment of stroke.

Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease which affects the arteries leading to the brain and the arteries within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, and that part of the brain starts to die.

Without timely treatment, stroke can cause long-term disability and death. According to the American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. and it’s the leading cause of disability in the world.

"Stroke affects 800,000 individuals per year in this country. Every 40 seconds someone has a stroke and every 3-4 minutes someone dies from stroke. About 25% people die within one year of having a stroke,” says Dr. Sushant Kale, MD, MPH, FAHA and Medical Director for Stroke and Interventional Neurology at Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear.

“Time is of paramount importance when we are dealing with strokes. Every one minute that a big brain blood vessel continues to have a block, two million neurons die, so patients need to call 911 if they themselves or someone around them is having stroke-like symptoms,” says Dr. Kale.

Many hospitals and organizations are even adopting a new acronym, BE FAST. Recognizing that balance issues (B) and blurred vision (E for eyes) can also be important signs of stroke, they have been added to the acronym, encouraging the community to BE FAST should they experience any of the signs or symptoms of stroke.

“F” is for FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

“A” is for ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

“S” is for SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

“T” is for TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Also note the time that symptoms of stroke first started; that will be important information to give to the medical professionals who treat the stroke victim.