MILWAUKEE — Sunday is World Stroke Day and doctors across Wisconsin are working to get the word out about the health risks tied to a stroke and the best ways to try to avoid one.
“The most modifiable risk factor is blood pressure,” said Dr. William Taylor, a neurohospitalist at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital in Milwaukee. “High blood pressure is the leading cause and controllable risk factor for stroke and heart disease, so lowering your blood pressure cuts your risk of stroke.”
Taylor also discussed the acronym called FAST, which highlights several stroke warning signs like facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time, as in “time to call 911.”
“Call 911 immediately,” Dr. Taylor said. “The difference between recognizing it and getting treatment is the difference between strong recovery and long-term disability, survival or death.”
Watch the full interview above.