British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

I got the following in one of those chain-type e-mails. I know it sounds a bit heavy and alarmist, but anyone with untreated sleep apnoea is more liable to get stroke than the average person, and it seems good advice!!
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STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters -ie STR Not sure how true this is but may be worthwhile.. My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word.

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up,Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital -(at 6:00pm, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this... A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.

T * Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)(e.g. It is sunny out today)

R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick'out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911(in UK 999) immediately !! and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.(ask for ambulance) A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

Is this true? Do all strokes paralize?

Hi Robert

I cannot answer you a straight yes or no on this one. Please read the following link recommended by a friend who is training to be a doctor:

http://www.stroke.org.uk/information/wh ... index.html

Hope this answers your question

Regards

Ken