Cutting risk to health at a stroke

Reporter: JANICE BARKER; Picture: CHRIS SUNDERLAND
Date online: 30 April 2009

Oldhamers were urged to act fast at the first signs of a stroke when a roadshow visited the Spindles Town Square shopping centre.

Greater Manchester Health Services staged the Act FAST stand to highlight the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke. FAST stands for Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call 999.

Trained health professionals were on hand to offer free blood-pressure checks and advice on how to make simple lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of stroke.

They also encouraged people at risk to have regular blood-pressure checks. Stroke is the third biggest cause of death and the single largest cause of adult disability in the country.

In Greater Manchester, more than 100 people suffer from a stroke every week, up to 6,000 people a year.

At the roadshow, 16 per cent of the 156 people who took tests, were referred to their GPs.

The roadshows are being run in partnership with the Stroke Association and local Rotary clubs in the run up to Stroke Awareness Day on May 12.