World Stroke Day | Orlando doctor shares life-saving signs, symptoms to know
Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute neurologist, Dr. Christian Rosado, joins WESH 2 to share the potential signs and symptoms of a stroke.
AND MINUTES COULD MAKE A LIFE OR DEATH DIFFERENCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING A STROKE, TO SHARE THE SIGNS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO KNOW WE HAVE ORLANDO HEALTH. NEUROLOGIST DOCTOR CHRISTIAN ROSADO WITH US. GOOD MORNING DOCTOR. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. ALL RIGHT. WE’VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT STROKE IN RECENT DAYS AND MONTHS AND YEARS, BUT I THINK OFTENTIMES WE DON’T EVEN REALLY KNOW WHAT THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS ARE. SO DOCTOR, WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO STROKE? WHAT IS IT? THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. IT’S A COMMON QUESTION THAT ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE ASK ALL THE TIME. A STROKE IS ACTUALLY WHEN A PART OF THE BRAIN HAS ITS BLOOD SUPPLY CUT OFF, EITHER BECAUSE A BLOOD CLOT GOES THERE OR A BLOOD VESSEL RUPTURES, AND THAT DAMAGES THAT PART OF THE BRAIN, AND THEN IT LEADS TO SYMPTOMS. AND THE SYMPTOMS WOULD BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO WHAT THAT PART OF THE BRAIN DOES. OKAY. I’M GOING TO GO OFF TOPIC HERE. JUST JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE. WE’VE HEARD KIM KARDASHIAN TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL BRAIN ANEURYSM. IF THAT WERE TO RUPTURE, WOULD THAT LEAD TO A STROKE. ABSOLUTELY. AND THERE’S THERE’S TWO MAIN DIFFERENT TYPES OF STROKES. THE ONE TYPE IS CALLED AN ISCHEMIC STROKE. THAT’S WHEN THERE’S A BLOOD CLOT OR A BLOCKED BLOOD VESSEL. SO NOT ENOUGH BLOOD FLOW. THE OTHER KIND IS A HEMORRHAGIC STROKE, WHICH IS WHEN A BLOOD VESSEL RUPTURES LIKE BECAUSE OF AN ANEURYSM AND THERE IS BLEEDING INTO THE BRAIN TISSUE THAT CAUSES THE DAMAGE. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SPEED BEING SO IMPORTANT, IF SOMEONE IS HAVING A STROKE AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR AND YOU HAVE AN EASY WAY FOR US TO TO SORT OF REMEMBER THE STEPS. TALK ABOUT THAT, DOCTOR. ABSOLUTELY. TIME IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. BUT ALSO SYMPTOM RECOGNITION IS CRITICAL TO AND THE ACRONYM THAT WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND IS SOMETHING CALLED FAST F.A.S.T. IT STANDS FOR FACE. FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE’S FACE MIGHT BE DROOPING. THE A STANDS FOR ARM LIKE SOMEONE’S ARM IS SUDDENLY WEAK. THE S STANDS FOR SPEECH. SOMEONE’S SPEECH IS SUDDENLY SLURRED, OR THEY CAN’T TALK, OR THEY’RE HAVING TROUBLE TALKING. AND THE T IS THAT ACT FAST. IT’S REMINDING EVERYONE. TIME IS OF ESSENCE, TIME, TIME AND THAT YOU SHOULD CALL 911, BECAUSE THE REALITY OF STROKE IS THAT STROKES CAN BE TREATED, BUT PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TRANSPORTED RAPIDLY TO THE NEAREST STROKE CENTER. OKAY. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THAT ACRONYM FAST, CAN YOU HAVE JUST ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS TAKING PLACE. AND THAT SIGNALS TIME’S OF THE ESSENCE. ABSOLUTELY. SO JUST AN ARM INTERACTION OR JUST THE FACE DROOPING. ABSOLUTELY. YOU CAN HAVE JUST ONE. YOU CAN HAVE COMBINATIONS OF THEM. AND SOMETIMES THE SYMPTOMS CAN START AND THEN STOP. BUT EVEN IF THE SYMPTOMS GO AWAY WE STILL RECOMMEND ACT FAST BECAUSE THEY COULD JUST BE RIGHT ABOUT TO COME BACK. AND WHAT DO YOU SEE IN YOUR PROFESSION AS MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT STROKE OR SOMEONE HAVING ONE? I THINK THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION I SEE IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY FEEL THAT THEIR RISK IS LOW BECAUSE MAYBE THEY’RE YOUNG, OR THEY FEEL LIKE THEY’RE FIT AND HEALTHY. AND I THINK THE THE TRUTH IS THAT ANYONE CAN HAVE A STROKE AND YOU REALLY DON’T KNOW YOUR RISK UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY LOOK INTO IT AND TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT IT. WHAT IS THE DOCTOR THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM OUR CHAT HERE THIS MORNING? WHAT DO YOU WANT? EVERYONE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA WATCHING TO KNOW. I WANT EVERYONE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA TO REMEMBER FAST, TO KNOW THE SIGNS OF STROKE. AND IF THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IN SOMEONE, A LOVED ONE, A FAMILY MEMBER OR ANY CITIZEN IN OUR IN OUR AREA TO CALL 911. YEAH. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT KNOWING SIGNS. IT’S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION THAT WE SHOULD HAVE WITH OUR PHYSICIANS. ABSOLUTELY. AND A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT WILL ALSO LEAD INTO UNDERSTANDING SOMEONE’S OWN STROKE RISK, WHICH AS I MENTIONED, AS A MISCONCEPTION, SOME PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED THAT THEY ARE AT ELEVATED RISK. AND IF THEY START THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEIR DOCTOR, THEIR DOCTOR CAN THEN PRESCRIBE TREATMENTS TO PREVENT STROKES IN THE FUTURE. ALL RIGHT. FANTASTIC INFORMATION, DOCTOR. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT. IT’
World Stroke Day | Orlando doctor shares life-saving signs, symptoms to know
Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute neurologist, Dr. Christian Rosado, joins WESH 2 to share the potential signs and symptoms of a stroke.
Updated: 10:25 AM EDT Oct 29, 2025
Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute neurologist, Dr. Christian Rosado, joins WESH 2 to share the potential signs and symptoms of a stroke. Experts say timing is everything for someone who may be experiencing the medical emergency. Rosado explains the acronym, “FAST,” to help neighbors recognize the symptoms, act quickly and potentially save a life. FAST● Face drooping or numbness on one side of the face● Arm weakness or numbness in one arm● Speech difficulty, including inability to get words out and slurred speech● Time to call 911 if a person shows any of these symptoms, even if they go awayClick here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute neurologist, Dr. Christian Rosado, joins WESH 2 to share the potential signs and symptoms of a stroke.
Experts say timing is everything for someone who may be experiencing the medical emergency.
Rosado explains the acronym, “FAST,” to help neighbors recognize the symptoms, act quickly and potentially save a life.
FAST
● Face drooping or numbness on one side of the face
● Arm weakness or numbness in one arm
● Speech difficulty, including inability to get words out and slurred speech
● Time to call 911 if a person shows any of these symptoms, even if they go away
Click here to learn more.