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Stroke: spot it in seconds with BE FAST, and what to do next
Today, 29 October, is World Stroke Day. The 2026 theme from the World Stroke Organization is "Every M1nute Counts".
Last checked 29 Oct 2026.
Why minutes matter
- A stroke cuts off blood and oxygen to part of the brain. Per the World Stroke Organization, about 1.9 million brain cells die every minute a stroke goes untreated, and 1 in 4 people will have a stroke in their lifetime (WSO 2026 campaign toolkit).
- Doctors at Gleneagles Hospital, Mumbai said on 28 Oct 2026 that fewer than 5% of stroke patients in India reach hospital within the treatment window, compared with about 15–20% in other countries (PTI / Free Press Journal, 28 Oct 2026).
- Stroke is not only an older person's illness: the same doctors report seeing more cases among people in their 20s and 30s (FPJ, 28 Oct 2026).
BE FAST: the signs
B — Balance
Sudden loss of balance or coordination.
E — Eyes
Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes.
F — Face
One side of the face droops; ask them to smile.
A — Arms
Sudden weakness in an arm or one side of the body; ask them to raise both arms.
S — Speech
Slurred or strange speech, or trouble finding words.
T — Time
Call an ambulance now and note the time symptoms started.
BE FAST as described by Gleneagles Hospital neurologists, 28 Oct 2026; WSO FAST.
What to do right now
- Call 108 (ambulance) or 112 (national emergency number). Don't wait to see if it passes, even if symptoms improve.Call 108Call 112
- Note the exact time the symptoms started, or when the person was last seen normal. Doctors need it to decide treatment.
- Ask to go to a hospital that can treat stroke (has a CT/MRI scanner and a stroke team).
- Do not give food, water or medicines, including aspirin, unless a doctor tells you to. Some strokes are caused by bleeding, and the wrong medicine can make that worse.
- Do not try home remedies; doctors stress that a suspected stroke should never be treated at home.
108 per National Health Mission ERS; 112 per 112.gov.in ERSS; treatment notes per Gleneagles doctors via PTI, 28 Oct 2026.
Why speed changes treatment
- About 75–85% of strokes are ischaemic (a blocked artery) and 15–20% are haemorrhagic (bleeding). A scan tells them apart (FPJ/PTI, 28 Oct 2026).
- Eligible ischaemic-stroke patients can get clot-dissolving medicine within 4.5 hours of symptoms starting, and selected patients can have a clot removed (mechanical thrombectomy) within 24 hours (FPJ/PTI, 28 Oct 2026).
Lower your risk
High blood pressure is the big one, so get BP checked regularly. Other risk factors doctors list: diabetes, smoking, alcohol, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise and stress (FPJ/PTI, 28 Oct 2026).
Sources
- World Stroke Organization, World Stroke Day 2026 'Every M1nute Counts', 4 Sep 2026
- WSO 2026 campaign toolkit
- Free Press Journal, World Stroke Day / young-adult stroke coverage, 28 Oct 2026
- PTI, Stroke cases rising among young adults but timely treatment remains a challenge, 28 Oct 2026
- National Health Mission, Dial 108/102 ambulance services
- 112 India, Emergency Response Support System
This page is general awareness, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 108 or 112.