These symptoms can be easily mistaken as stress, exhaustion, or other minor ailments, potentially delaying lifesaving care.
Resources trusted by health authorities include the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Northwestern Medicine, Office on Women’s Health, and Go Red for Women.
Recognizing the BE FAST Acronym
The symptoms can vary based on which part of the brain is affected. The best way to remember the classic symptoms of stroke is the acronym BE FAST.
B stands for Balance, watching for sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking. E stands for Eyes, looking for sudden vision changes, including blurred or lost vision in one or both eyes. F stands for Face, noticing if one side of the face is drooping.
A stands for Arms, noticing if one arm feels weak or drifts downward when raised.
S stands for Speech, listening for slurred speech, unusual words, or difficulty speaking or understanding others. T stands for Time, meaning if any of these signs appear, call emergency services immediately.
Atypical Signs Unique to Women
“Most women who have a stroke have the same classic signs that men do,” said Lily Johnston, vascular surgeon at Scripps Clinic in San Diego.
These atypical signs can include nausea, sudden confusion, memory problems, or disorientation, fatigue, severe headache, hiccups, shortness of breath, and a racing heartbeat. It’s not well understood why these atypical symptoms occur more frequently in women.
Women are also more likely to experience stroke from atrial fibrillation, a type of heart rhythm disorder.
“We see the same thing in heart attacks in women.” “That recognition gap is a big piece of this.”
How Stroke Mechanisms and Symptoms Differ for Women
- Beyond BE FAST: Women may also experience less obvious symptoms, such as nausea, confusion, and weakness.
- The Recognition Gap: Women’s strokes are more likely to be missed by family and friends and in the ER.
Call 911 Immediately to Begin Rapid Stroke Treatment
“Not your doctor, not a ride to the hospital,” Johnston says.
“We say ‘time is brain’ for a reason,” Johnston says.
Why Knowing Last Known Normal Status Matters for Treatment
“This means when was the last time anyone saw them functioning normally, before the stroke symptoms began.” “This information is crucial for determining if the clot-busting medications could be effective.”
References
- Mayo Clinic: What Women Need to Know About Stroke
- Cleveland Clinic: Stroke
- Northwestern Medicine: The Differences in Stroke Between Women and Men
- Office on Women’s Health: Stroke and Women
- Go Red for Women: Symptoms of a Stroke in Women
