How to recognise signs of a stroke, and what to do to minimise damage

Remember "FAST": “Face” (does the face look uneven?), “Arms” (is one arm weak or numb?), “Speech” (does the speech sound strange?), and "Time" (4.5 hours before brain damage). If you notice these signs of a stroke, get the person to a hospital as quickly as possible. — Filepic

We share the views Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican expressed in his letter “Don’t ignore other needy patients” (The Star, April 28, 2020). Urgent treatment and emergency services should not be compromised during the Covid-19 outbreak.

One of these medical emergencies is a “brain attack”, or stroke. As one of the leading causes of death in Malaysia, stroke has claimed many lives and incapacitates thousands of victims each year.