Having heart disease, a family history of heart disease/stroke or even one or two risk factors for the development of the disease (such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, being overweight).

Look out for:

• Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm and leg on one side of the body
• Loss of speech, or trouble talking or  understanding speech
• Dimness, blurring or loss of vision, particularly in one eye only
• Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or sudden falls, especially along with any of the above symptoms
• Confusion

When one or more of these symptoms is experienced, get immediate medical attention - medical help is most important in the first few hours. If the person becomes unconscious, call an ambulance immediately.

TIA - a vital warning sign

About 10% of strokes are preceded by ‘temporary’ or ‘mini’ strokes. These are referred to as TIA’s (transient ischaemic attacks) and are caused by a temporary cut in the blood supply to the brain by a clot. TIA’s have the same symptoms as a stroke, and usually last from a few minutes to a few hours, but are temporary and do not cause long-term damage to the brain. They should not be ignored, because they are an important indicator of a stroke that may occur in the future. Prompt medical attention can prevent a fatal or disabling stroke.

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