In brief

• Slovakia's emergency service Zamed warned on World Stroke Day that sudden cerebral stroke can hit young, healthy people as well as seniors.
• Typical signs include a drooping mouth corner or eyelid, slurred or absent speech, and weakness in an arm, leg or half the body.
• About 11,000 people in Slovakia are affected each year, and rapid medical care is key to survival and avoiding permanent damage.

Warning on World Stroke Day

The Slovak emergency medical service Zamed has said that a sudden cerebral stroke does not only affect seniors. A young and otherwise healthy person can also be struck without warning (Náhla cievna mozgová príhoda nepostihuje len seniorov – hlavnespravy.sk) (Záchranná služba:Náhla cievna mozgová príhoda nepostihuje len seniorov – TASR / TERAZ.sk). The service made the point on social media on World Stroke Day.

Signs to watch for

Rescuers list several warning signs. A drooping corner of the mouth, sometimes together with a drooping eyelid on the same side, is one of them. Saliva may run from the mouth. Speech can become unclear, words may be slurred, answers may make no sense, or the person may not speak at all. Patients often feel weakness in an arm, a leg or an entire side of the body.

Scale of the problem

Around 11,000 people in Slovakia are affected by a cerebral stroke each year, according to figures cited on World Stroke Day (Zasiahne viac ako 11 000 ľudí ročne, poznáte prejavy cievnej príhody? | Rádio Žilina – radiozilina.sk). Doctors stress that speed matters: the sooner a patient reaches a specialised neurology unit, the greater the chance of survival and of avoiding lasting damage such as paralysis or loss of speech.

What to do

If relatives notice a sudden change in behaviour or any of these symptoms, they should call emergency services immediately rather than wait to see whether the signs pass. Early treatment is the main factor that reduces the risk of permanent consequences.