Stroke in the Kenntnisprüfung

What do the letters in the FAST test stand for?

• Face, Arms, Speech, Time — check face, arms, speech; time counts
• Face, Arms, Sensibility, Temperature — check face, arms, sensation, fever
• Fever, Airway, Speech, Tone — check fever, airway, speech and muscle tone
• Face, Arms, Speech, Test — check face, arms, speech, then test blood glucose

Explanation: Drooping corner of the mouth, arm drifting down in the arm-holding test, slurred speech — with one positive sign every minute counts: call the emergency number immediately. “Time is brain.”

Why must a stroke patient not eat or drink anything before the swallowing screening (Schluckscreening)?

• Because eating and drinking raise the blood pressure and can thereby trigger a brain haemorrhage
• Because of the high risk of aspiration with undetected dysphagia — the consequence would be aspiration pneumonia
• Because stroke patients often vomit in the first days and the stomach should be empty
• Because otherwise the level of consciousness cannot be assessed; tablets with a little water are allowed, though

Explanation: Up to half of stroke patients initially have a swallowing disorder. Only the screening (e.g. by speech therapy / Logopädie) clears the patient for eating and drinking — before that, strict nil by mouth (Karenz) applies, including tablets.