Skip to main content
. 2015 Jun 29;65(636):e421–e427. doi: 10.3399/bjgp15X685621
ID Brain territory of stroke Who Vignette detailsa Symptoms Panel defined ease of recognitionb
A Anterior Adult/child I think my Mum’s having a stroke:

  • Her mouth is drooping

  • Her speech is slurred

  • She can’t use her right arm

 Facial droop (right side), right arm weakness and speech disturbance (three FAST symptoms) Easy
B Anterior Adult/child

  • Shall I bring my Mother in to see the doctor?

  • She can’t use her right arm

  • She keeps dropping things

  • Her face is really funny (right side)

  • She’s talking a load of rubbish

 Facial droop (right side), right arm weakness and speech disturbance (three FAST symptoms) Easy
C Anterior Adult/child

  • Do you think my Father needs to see the doctor?

  • He’s having difficulty speaking

  • He can’t lift his arm up

 Right arm weakness and speech disturbance (two FAST symptoms) Easy
D Anterior Adult/child

  • Can I make an appointment for my Father?

  • His face is all lopsided (right side)

  • He’s having trouble speaking

 Facial droop (right side) and speech disturbance (two FAST symptoms) Easy
E Anterior Patient I think I need to see the doctor my daughter tells me that:

  • My face is all droopy (left side)

  • I keep dropping things

 Facial droop (left side) and arm weakness (two FAST symptoms) Moderate
F Anterior Patient I’m not sure what to do:

  • When I look in the mirror my reflection looks funny

 Facial droop (left side) (one FAST symptom) Moderate
G Anterior Adult/child I think my Mum needs to see the doctor:

  • Her speech is all slurred

 Speech disturbance (one FAST symptom) Moderate
H Anterior Patient I think I need to see the doctor:

  • My arm’s gone all weak

 Arm weakness (one FAST symptom) Difficult
I Posterior Patient I don’t know what to do:

  • I keep throwing up

  • I’m feverish

  • I have double vision

 Vomiting, vertigo and visual field defect (zero FAST symptoms) Difficult
J Posterior Patient

  • What shall I do I think I’m having a stroke?

  • I’ve thrown up

  • The room is spinning

  • I have double vision

 Vomiting, vertigo and visual field defect (zero FAST symptoms) Difficult

FAST = Face Arm Speech Time test.

a

If probed, symptoms were described as being ongoing and of having had a sudden onset within 2 hours of the telephone call.

b

Ease of recognising symptoms was defined by an expert panel consisting of five clinicians, six receptionists (not otherwise involved in the study), and two stroke survivors.