Wide Bay residents urged to think F.A.S.T

Stroke Foundation research has revealed concerning figures around how many Wide Bay residents would recognise when someone is having a stroke.

The study conducted last year found 31 per cent of residents could not recall any of the F.A.S.T signs of stroke unprompted. This means a large portion of the community might not know to call triple zero when someone is having a stroke.

Currently there are 1839 people per 100,000 people in the Wide Bay area who are living with stroke which is higher than Queensland’s average of 1699 people per 100,000, highlighting the urgent need for more residents in that electorate to know the signs.

Stroke Foundation National Manager Stroke Treatment, Kelvin Hill, says knowing the F.A.S.T acronym and acting quickly can make all the difference when it comes to treatment and recovery.

“Every minute counts when a stroke strikes. The sooner an ambulance is called and the faster a patient receives the urgent medical treatment they need, their chance of survival and a good recovery increase greatly.”

Stroke Foundation is working hard with communities to boost the number of people who know the common signs of stroke through awareness. The aim is for someone in every workplace and household to know the F.A.S.T acronym.

“It’s a small four-letter acronym that we know saves lives so I’d not only encourage everyone to learn the signs but go one step further and share it with their friends and family” Mr Hill says.

In the F.A.S.T acronym, F is for face- check their face. Has their mouth drooped? A is for arms- can they lift both arms? S is for speech- is their speech slurred? Do they understand you and T is for time- time is of the essence so act quickly. If you see any of these signs call triple zero straight away.

The study also found that awareness of high cholesterol as a modifiable risk factor declined by seven per cent between 2020 and 2021. There are currently 15,787 people in the Wide Bay electorate living with high cholesterol, and based on the study, many will not know they are at risk of having a stroke or that there are simple ways to reduce that risk.

Stroke Foundation National Manager Stroke Prevention, Andrea Sanders, says the first step to reducing the chance of having a stroke is by knowing the risk factors.

“High cholesterol is one of the most common modifiable risk factors of stroke. While 2.5 million Australians live with high cholesterol, the good news is you can lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of stroke through lifestyle changes or if needed by medication. Lifestyle changes include exercising, eating healthy food, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake.”