Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and Scottish Ambulance Service launch F.A.S.T. campaign to highlight stroke signs and symptoms

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service have launched a new campaign to highlight awareness of stroke signs and symptoms - and encourage fast action when contacting emergency services in Lanarkshire.F.A.S.T.

is a mnemonic that stands for F - Face, A - Arm. S - Speech, and T - Time, and illustrates three of the common signs of stroke.According to local health board data, 1467 people in Lanarkshire had a stroke last year.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android YouGov polling commissioned by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland revealed that 39 per cent of adults in Scotland were not familiar with F.A.S.T.This number rises significantly for younger adults (age 18-24) of whom 53 per cent were not familiar with F.A.S.T.Significantly more women than men reported familiarity with F.A.S.T. (67 per cent vs 56 per cent).With almost 11,000 people in Scotland experiencing a stroke each year, and an estimated 136,000 people in Scotland living with the effects of stroke, raising public awareness of stroke signs and the need to take immediate emergency action when someone is experiencing a stroke is essential to improve health outcomes and save lives.The public awareness campaign is aimed at increasing the correct identification of stroke symptoms and assessment for hyperacute stroke treatments for