Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., suffered a stroke on Saturday, and his prognosis is excellent, according to his office. The 53-year-old felt numbness in his arm while at his son's hockey game, his staff said in a statement. They said he acted quickly to get care, which corresponds with the "T" for time in the BE FAST warning-sign acronym.
The American Stroke Association says remembering the six letters in BE FAST can help save stroke victims and prevent permanent brain damage. The letters stand for Balance loss, Eye changes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911.
For balance, dizziness, trouble walking or a sudden loss of balance are signs. Eye changes include blurred vision, double vision or loss of sight in one eye. With face drooping, a person may have numbness or drooping on one side; asking them to smile can reveal an uneven smile. Arm weakness can appear as numbness or weakness, and asking the person to raise both arms may show one arm drifting down. Speech difficulty can include trouble talking, slurred speech or difficulty repeating a simple sentence.
If these symptoms appear, the association says to call 911 as soon as possible, because quick care is important for survival and for minimizing long-term effects. A stroke occurs when blood flow to or within the brain is interrupted, either because an artery is blocked or a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Brain tissue deprived of oxygen can be permanently damaged, leading to long-term disability or death. Other important symptoms include a severe headache, confusion and numbness on one side of the body. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., killing more than 162,000 people in 2023, according to the American Heart Association.
Sources: NPR News.