The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke. In fact, the agency says the chance of having a stroke about doubles every 10 years after age 55.
Leslie Ingold, stroke coordinator at OSF HealthCare in Danville and Urbana, says the science lines up with the statistics.
The good news, Ingold says, is that older adults don’t need a separate set of instructions on stroke prevention. All ages can remember the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T. If you suspect someone is having a stroke, check their balance, eyes, face, arms and speech for irregularities. The T in B.E.F.A.S.T. stands for time, as in, if someone is not normal in letters B through S, it’s “time” to call 9-1-1.
Ingold said you need to be aware of acute symptoms
Sacred Heart Medical Center in Danville and Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana were recently redesignated as primary stroke centers.
