For stroke patients, time is brain. However, because patients often present first to general practice or internal medicine, they often miss the best opportunity for treatment if the physician involved fails to make a timely diagnosis. The latest issue of JAMA published a small article of classical science, warning patients with a few simple signs for self-diagnosis and management. They can also be used as learning materials for non-neurologists. A. The mnemonic is: FAST 1. F Facial asymmetry: Ask the patient to smile with one side of the face slumped; 2. A Arm weakness: Ask the patient to straighten the arm to both sides with one side slightly drooping; 3. S Speech impairment: Ask the patient to repeat a short sentence, can the patient repeat it, or is the speech strange or slurred; 4. T Seek medical attention as soon as possible: When signs of stroke appear, call 120 as soon as possible and ask for a neurological specialist consultation Treatment. B. What are the signs and symptoms of stroke? When the blood supply to the brain tissue is inadequate, various signs and symptoms can occur, and the manifestation and severity of the symptoms depend mainly on the part of the brain tissue involved. The main signs of stroke are: asymmetry of the face; weakness of one limb (e.g. involvement of the upper or lower limb, or both upper and lower limbs); numbness or abnormal sensation in one limb; slurred speech (slurred pronunciation; inability to repeat a short sentence). C. What should we do if there are signs of stroke? If you think you have had a stroke, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. The shorter the time between the onset of the stroke and the start of treatment, the greater the chance of recovery. Therefore, if you notice any of the above signs of stroke, seek medical help immediately and never wait until the signs are more obvious. This is because there is a drug that can reach the blockage through the bloodstream and dissolve the clot, and this drug is only effective for the first few hours after the stroke. Once that window of effectiveness is missed, the drug is not only ineffective, but even harmful. Therefore, it is important to accurately record the time of stroke onset and the time of disappearance of signs and symptoms.