Stroke Warning Signs

The most common sign of stroke is sudden weakness of the face, arm or leg, most often on one side of the body.

Other warning signs can include: Sudden numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination Sudden severe headache with no known cause   A myth still exists that cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, are lifestyle diseases that primarily affect older, affluent, male populations. However, as we well know, this is far from the truth. In fact, all ages and population groups are affected by CVD, including women and children. CVD takes lives prematurely and causes severe illness and disability at high and devastating costs to families and societies. The good news is that World Heart Day, held annually on 29 September, provides us with the opportunity to raise awareness and encourage our employees to take action to reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke. Deaths from cardiovascular disease represent the highest proportion of NCD deaths. To achieve the target, all of us urgently need to implement strategies to reduce the prevalence and ensure timely management of heart disease and stroke, and their risk factors. We know how to avert these deaths, using proven and affordable interventions that can save lives across the globe. Now we need to put our knowledge into practice.