There is a phrase that very well summarizes the urgency of a stroke (ACV): “lost time is brain lost”. It sounds
Dramatic, but it is literal. When blood flow to the brain is interrupted, millions of neurons begin to die every minute without treatment. That is why knowing how to recognize a stroke in time and act immediately can be the difference between recovery
complete and permanent disability, and even between life and death.

At Hospital Clínica San Fernando we want this information to reach as many people as possible, because a stroke
It warns, and the person who suffers from it can almost never ask for help on their own. Often, someone’s life depends on the person by their side recognizing the signs and acting without hesitation.

What is a stroke (stroke)?

A stroke, also called a cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction or stroke, occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted.
brain. There are two main types:

• Ischemic stroke: the most common, occurs when a clot blocks an artery that supplies blood to the brain. It is equivalent, in
  True sense, an “infarction” but in the brain instead of the heart.
• Haemorrhagic stroke: occurs when a blood vessel breaks and bleeds within or around the brain, damaging the surrounding tissue.

In both cases, the lack of oxygen and nutrients causes the progressive death of the affected neurons, which can result in loss of mobility, speech, vision, or other functions, depending on the area of the brain affected.

The signs you shouldn't ignore: Recognize an ACV in seconds

One of the most useful and easy-to-remember tools for identifying a possible ACV is the method known internationally,
which in Spanish can be summarized as follows:

Face — Arm — Speech — Time

• Face: Tell the person to smile. Is one side of the face drooping or does it look asymmetrical?
• Arm: Ask him/her to raise both arms. Does one of them fall or can’t he/she hold it?
• Speak: Ask them to repeat a simple phrase. Does their speech sound slurred, confused, or unable to articulate words?
• Time: If you notice any of these signs, don't wait. It's time to seek emergency medical attention immediately.

Other warning signs that may also occur, either alone or in combination, include:

• Sudden, intense, and seemingly without cause headache, different from any previous headache
• Sudden loss of balance or coordination
• Blurred vision or loss of vision in one or both eyes, suddenly
• Numbness or sudden weakness on one side of the body (face, arm, or leg)
• Sudden confusion or difficulty understanding what is happening around you.

The characteristic feature of these signals is that they appear in a sudden. They do not develop over days; they occur in a matter of seconds or minutes, and that rapidity of onset is, in itself, an alert.

What should you do if you suspect that someone is suffering from a stroke?

1. Call emergency services immediately or go to the nearest emergency room. Do not try to wait “until you see”
   ”if it improves” do not drive yourself if you can avoid it: the ideal is for the person to be transported in an equipped ambulance, where the
   the employee can start the evaluation from the journey.
2. Write down the exact time you noticed the first symptoms. This data is crucial for the medical team, as it determines which treatments are possible. There are therapies that can only be applied within a specific time window from the onset of symptoms.
3. Do not give the person anything to eat or drink. ACV can affect the ability to swallow safely, and this could cause the food or liquid to pass into the airway.
4. Keep the person in a safe and quiet place, This prevents the person from being hit if they lose balance or consciousness, but it does not delay seeking medical help by trying to “stabilize” them yourself.
5. Do not give him any medication on your own, Including aspirin, as in a hemorrhagic stroke this could worsen the situation. That decision should be made by the medical team after the appropriate evaluation.

Why time is so crucial

In an ischemic stroke, there are treatments capable of dissolving the clot or even mechanically removing it, but their effectiveness depends directly on how quickly they are administered after the onset of symptoms. Every minute without treatment involves the loss of millions of neurons, and the chances of a complete recovery decrease the longer time passes before receiving specialized care.

This explains why health campaigns insist so much on the speed of response: it’s not just about getting to the hospital “at some point”; it’s about doing so within the time window in which the available treatments can still make a real difference.

Risk factors that are worth controlling

Although an ACV can occur unexpectedly, there are risk factors that significantly increase the likelihood of it occurring.
suffering from one, and that in many cases are modifiable:

• Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Atrial fibrillation and other cardiac arrhythmias
• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle and obesity
• Family history of ACV or cardiovascular disease

Controlling these factors with regular medical check-ups, appropriate treatment, and healthy lifestyle habits significantly reduces the risk of experiencing a cerebrovascular event.

Acting quickly saves lives and prevents disability

A stroke can happen to anyone at any time, and often the person who witnesses it has a more important role than the person who suffers it.
that you imagine. Recognizing the signs, timing the time from the onset of symptoms and seeking emergency care without delay are
the actions that really determine the prognosis.

At Hospital Clínica San Fernando, we have emergency care available to respond to a neurological emergency with the speed required by this type of event. In the face of any alarm signal compatible with a stroke, do not wait: every minute that passes is brain tissue that can be lost, but it is also time that, if acted upon promptly, can be saved.