THIS week is National Stroke Week (5 – 11 August) and Ambulance Victoria paramedics want communities to know and share the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke to make best use of time in case of this medical emergency.

A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted and when it happens, speed is critical.

A person suffers a stroke every 19 minutes in Australia and it’s one of Victoria’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability.

Ambulance Victoria regional director, Michael Georgiou said Victorians can make a life-changing difference by knowing the signs of stroke and calling Triple Zero (000) immediately.

“This National Stroke Week, we’re encouraging all Victorians to learn the F.A.S.T. signs of stroke so you can quickly take action if a friend or loved one is experiencing a medical emergency,” he said.

“This year’s theme is ‘keep looking at your mate’ and it’s as simple as that, know the signs and you could save someone’s life.”

Mr Georgiou said timing is critical in stroke and the sooner paramedics arrive and transport patients for clot-busting treatment, the better the person’s chance of surviving and maintaining a good quality of life.

“Improving stroke outcomes for our patients is an ongoing focus at Ambulance Victoria and we are proud of the innovative work we do in this field,” he said.

In the past 12 months, more than 800 paramedics from the Metropolitan, Hume and Loddon Mallee regions have been trained to use a new telestroke app for use in standard ambulances which can assist with faster diagnosis of stroke and impending stroke.

“The app allows paramedics to directly consult with a neurologist and helps fast-track transport to The Royal Melbourne Hospital so patients can receive treatment faster, potentially leading to better outcomes,” Mr Georgiou said.

Ambulance Victoria’s Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) is a life-saving service that allows stroke patients, particularly in regional locations, to get the care they need faster and closer to home.

Many rural and regional hospitals do not have stroke specialists on site.

However, this 24/7 virtual service links 19 Victorian hospitals and three Tasmanian hospitals to a network of expert neurologists who can review patient brain scans, provide quick diagnosis and support local hospital staff to deliver time-critical clot-busting treatment.

In 2023-24, there was a further expansion of the service to the Mersey Community Hospital in northwest Tasmania and to Portland District Health Urgent Care Centre (UCC).

More than 25,000 patients have received life-saving stroke care in the past decade thanks to the VST service.

Stroke Facts

Stroke can happen to anybody at any stage and is always a medical emergency.

In 2020, 27,428 Australians experienced a stroke for the first time - more than 445,000 Australians are living with the effects of stroke, 65 per cent of whom live with an ongoing disability that impacts their day-to-day life.

Regional Victorians are 17 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke.

The longer a stroke remains untreated, the greater the chance of stroke-related brain damage - treatments for stroke include medications which dissolve blood clots (thrombolysis), clot retrieval through a specialised procedure (endovascular thrombectomy), and brain surgery.

The F.A.S.T. Signs of Stroke 

Face - Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?

Arms - Can they lift both arms?

Speech - Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?

Time - Is critical. If you see any of these signs call 000 straight away.

Learn more about the MSU and the VST services on the Ambulance Victoria website, and find out more about the signs of stroke at www.strokefoundation.org.au