Know the FAST test for World Stroke Day

World Stroke Day takes place every year on 29th October to raise awareness of risk factors, ways we can reduce individual risk and to highlight the signs someone is having a stroke.

The Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science (LCCS) is involved in two projects to try to improve the outcomes for local people, and across the country, following a stroke.

The Liverpool-Heart and bRain Project (L-HARP) has been developed by researchers at the University of Liverpool in collaboration with clinicians in Cheshire and Merseyside and will be run at hospitals across the north of England, the Midlands and north Wales. 

This study will collect information about the health and treatment of 1000 people following a stroke to try to identify ways we can improve health outcomes.

This will include examining factors and treatment that may help to reduce a person’s risk of having another stroke or developing dementia following a stroke.

Then, in 2022, the LCCS will also start the Liverpool Huawei Stroke study. It will screen people for the most common irregular heart rhythm problem, atrial fibrillation, in patients following a stroke. People will be asked to wear a smart band on their wrist to detect atrial fibrillation.

This study will be conducted in three hospitals in Merseyside: Whiston, Aintree, and Arrowe Park.

While all this vital research is taking place we are also asking people to learn the FAST test, the ways to recognise signs of a stroke and what to do if you suspect someone has suffered a stroke.

They are:

F – Facial weakness: can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

A – Arm weakness: can the person raise both arms?

S – Speech problems: can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

T – Time to call 999: if you see ANY of the signs

Today is World Stroke Day which takes place every year to raise awareness of risk factors, ways we can reduce individual risk and to highlight the signs someone is having a stroke.

The Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science (LCCS) is involved in two projects to try to improve the outcomes for local people, and across the country, following a stroke.

The Liverpool-Heart and bRain Project (L-HARP) has been developed by researchers at the University of Liverpool in collaboration with clinicians in Cheshire and Merseyside and will be run at hospitals across the north of England, the Midlands and north Wales. 

This study will collect information about the health and treatment of 1000 people following a stroke to try to identify ways we can improve health outcomes.

This will include examining factors and treatment that may help to reduce a person’s risk of having another stroke or developing dementia following a stroke.

Then, in 2022, the LCCS will also start the Liverpool Huawei Stroke study. It will screen people for the most common irregular heart rhythm problem, atrial fibrillation, in patients following a stroke. People will be asked to wear a smart band on their wrist to detect atrial fibrillation.

This study will be conducted in three hospitals in Merseyside: Whiston, Aintree, and Arrowe Park.

While all this vital research is taking place we are also asking people to learn the FAST test, the ways to recognise signs of a stroke and what to do if you suspect someone has suffered a stroke.

They are:

F – Facial weakness: can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?

A – Arm weakness: can the person raise both arms?

S – Speech problems: can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?

T – Time to call 999: if you see ANY of the signs

Drs Stephanie Harrison, Ben Buckley, Deirdre Lane and Prof Gregory Lip on behalf of the Liverpool Huawei Stroke Study and L-HARP study teams.

HuaweiStrokeStudy@liverpool.ac.uk 

L-HARP@liverpool.ac.uk