RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein is back home after suffering a minor stroke Monday night, and he's thanking his wife for her quick thinking.
According to a Facebook post shared on Tuesday, Stein and his wife Anna had walked their dog when he started exhibiting stroke-like symptoms. Anna Stein was able to get an ambulance, and doctors confirmed the details to them.
Stein said he underwent a successful procedure to remove a small blood clot, and is now back to normal and facing no lingering effects. He thanked his wife, EMTs, and medical staff for their roles in ensuring he could be treated.
Wednesday, Stein confirmed he had returned home and was "feeling well and incredibly lucky."
Stein said Anna's recognition of the signs of stroke was critical to ensuring he got the care he needed. He shared more information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) about what to look for if you believe someone may be facing a stroke.
Neurologist Dr. Dena Little with UNC Medical Center says time lost is brain lost and the best treatments can only be given within a few hours of the symptoms.
It's why she says knowing the signs and symptoms are so important.
Act F.A.S.T.
The "Act F.A.S.T" test is what the CDC recommends using to determine if someone is facing a stroke:
- F - Face: Ask the person to smile and note if one side droops
- A - Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms and see if one drifts downward
- S - Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase, listening for slurred or strange speech patterns
- T - Time: Time to call 9-1-1 if any signs are confirmed
“What I counsel my patients on is basically any abrupt change because a stroke will just happen abruptly. There is typically no warning, the signs just appear,” Little said.
Age is generally the biggest risk factor. The risk of having a stroke doubles every decade past the age of 55. But Dr. Little said strokes are now more commonly seen in younger populations.
“There are various reasons for that. In general, in our population we are seeing a lot more younger people who have typical vascular risk factors. people that are obese, or that are smokers, or have high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol issues," she said.
Healthy lifestyle choices can help reduce the risk in some cases.
