May is Stroke Awareness Month, and Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Barrow is reminding the community to “Be Fast” to recognize the signs of a stroke. 

• Balance – including loss of balance, headache, dizziness

• Eyes – blurred vision, loss of vision, double vision

• Face – one side of face is drooping or numb

• Arms – arm or leg weakness or numbness

• Speech – slurred or garbled speech, confusion or trouble understanding

• Time – call for an ambulance immediately

If you’re not sure if you or someone you know has suffered a stroke, call 911 immediately.

The most recent data available from state records show at least 287 Barrow County residents received treatment for a stroke in 2017.  Thankfully, NGMC Barrow has been designated as a Remote Treatment Stroke Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Office of EMS and Trauma, and the hospital continues to focus on delivering rapid treatment for stroke patients in the Barrow County area.  Hospital staff track how quickly each stroke patient is treated and monitor outcomes; stay involved in organizations such as the Georgia Stroke Professional Alliance; and a full-time Stroke Coordinator – Tina Johnson – is now on the team.

“Statistically, stroke is listed as the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, with a reported stroke occurring every 40 seconds,” says Johnson. “Of these strokes,approximately 85 percent are listed as an ischemic stroke – which means blood flow to an area of the brain has been blocked by a clot. People who suffer this type of stroke have a better chance of survival when they receive timely medical attentionlike we provide at NGMC Barrow.”

During May, NGMC Barrow has put up a Stroke Awareness banner in the Emergency Department to teach people the “BE FAST” method to identify the signs of a stroke.