Taking Care of Strokes

Strokes are medical emergencies that require prompt evaluation and treatment. Some hospitals have received designation as Primary Stroke Centers because they are especially qualified to treat stroke patients and work to follow established best practices and protocols. These best practices include:

• having dedicated stroke teams available 24 hours a day
• examining a suspected stroke patient within 15 minutes of their arrival and ordering an imaging test — usually a computed tomography scan of the head
• completing the imaging scan within 25 minutes of the physician’s request and using it to decide what type of treatment is needed

These streamlined processes ensure people with stroke receive treatment as quickly as possible. This is important for two reasons. First, the longer brain tissue is deprived of oxygen-rich blood, the greater the chance for serious, long-term complications. Second, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) — the only FDA-approved medical treatment for strokes caused by a blood clot — must be administered within 3 to 4.5 hours of symptom onset. During every hour stroke treatment is delayed, the brain loses the same number of brain cells lost during 3.6 years of normal aging, according to the American Stroke Association. Primary Stroke Centers use standardized, documented practices that are supported by scientific evidence to provide the best possible results.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and The Joint Commission partner to award Primary Stroke Center certification to hospitals around the country that have met a specific set of criteria designed to improve stroke outcomes. These standards are based on recommendations from the Brain Attack Coalition.

There are two main types of stroke. Ischemic strokes are the most common and occur when a blood clot forms in one of the arteries supplying blood to the brain. The clot narrows or completely blocks the artery, reducing blood flow. Hemorrhagic strokes develop when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, which causes internal bleeding. Both types of stroke cause similar symptoms.

The warning signs of stroke appear suddenly and may impact a person’s ability to walk, move their limbs, see or speak normally. Many people also experience dizziness and a sudden, severe headache.

The American Stroke Association created the acronym F.A.S.T. — for Face, Arms, Speech and Time — to help people remember stroke symptoms. If one side of a loved one’s face sags or if he or she is unable to lift one or both arms and/or speak clearly, do not waste time: Call 911 immediately.

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