According to the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke, about 700,000 people have strokes
each year. Strokes — sometimes called “brain attacks”
— occur when blood flow to part of the brain is
interrupted. Dr. Chrystal Henderson, the Air Force’s
78th Medical Group’s medical staff chief, said that
people can make a life-saving difference by asking three
questions and responding quickly. Ask the person to
smile. Ask the person to raise both arms. Ask the person
to speak a simple sentence, such as, “It is sunny outside
today.” If the person has trouble doing any of these
tasks you should take him or her to an emergency facility
immediately, Dr. Henderson said. Getting stroke patients
medical attention within the first three hours of the
incident is important for a more successful recovery,
said. Lt. Col. Chris Thompson, a cardiology consultant
for the Air Force.
