Recently in the USA , CBS news reporter Serena Branson suffered a stroke when covering the Grammy Awards. She began fumbling and slurring her words; people around her thought she was just nervous but when she began to make no sense and speak in what seemed to be another language, an ambulance was called.

Types of strokes

There are two types of strokes. The first is the ischemic stroke, which is similar to a heart attack, where one of the brain's blood vessels becomes clogged with a blood clot. This blood clot deprives the victim of oxygen, hence making them slur and fumble their words. The other is a haemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel has ruptured in the brain, tearing some of the surrounding soft brain tissue and creating a large blood clot.

Stroke Identifiers

There are key signs of when an individual may have a stroke. These signs are known as the STR method and by following this method you may find yourself saving a friend, family member or a complete stranger. Just remember the first three letters of the word ‘stroke': STR.

1. Ask the individual to Smile
2. Ask the person to Talk coherently and then
3. Ask the individual to Raise both arms.

New sign of a stroke

Asking the person to stick out their tongue is now another must-do if you fear someone is having a stroke. If their tongue is ‘crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, this could be an indication of a stroke.

If the person has difficultly doing any of these tasks you need to call emergency and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher immediately. Time is crucial when dealing with a potential stroke victim - a neurologist has claimed that if the victim sees a medical professional within three hours, the effects of a stroke can be totally reversed.

Stroke victims don't actually know they're suffering from a stroke, which is why it's up to the people around them to recognise the signs.