Stroke

A stroke is the sudden loss of brain function from ischemia (a clot) or hemorrhage in the cerebral circulation. Use FAST — Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call for help — and establish the exact time of onset, since it determines eligibility for clot-busting thrombolytics. Keep the client NPO until a swallow evaluation is done, because aspiration is a major early complication.