1. Know the signs and symptoms of stroke

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.

If you think you are having a stroke, call 911 immediately!

2. Control risk factors

• Control and check your blood pressure
• Find out if you have an irregular heartbeat such as Atrial Fibrillation
• Stop smoking
• Control cholesterol
• Limit alcohol use
• Choose a lower sodium and a low fat diet

3. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)

• Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), the only approved FDA treatment for stroke available today, is used to treat acute ischemic stroke. This is a clot dissolving drug that can diminish stroke symptoms. However, tPA must be given within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.