Knowing the symptoms of stroke and activating emergency services can speed up life-saving and brain-saving care.
Every 40 seconds someone in the United States suffers a stroke, and every four minutes someone dies of stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the National Stroke Association. Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in the U.S.
Know the symptoms of stroke and get treatment right away.
"Stroke is a 'brain attack' that can happen to anyone at any time," said Brooke Kearins, MSN, CRNP, director of Doylestown Health Stroke Services. "Stroke occurs when blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off and brain cells begin to die."
Outcome for stroke depends on which part of the brain is affected and how much of the brain is damaged. Stroke is an emergency and responding quickly and getting treatment fast are crucial factors.
Symptoms of Stroke
To recognize the symptoms, Brooke uses the acronym BE FAST*:
- Balance: person is off balance or stumbling, dizzy
- Eyes: vision is blurry or double or there is a loss of vision
- Face: uneven smile, facial drooping
- Arms: one arm – or leg – is weaker than the other
- Speech: is slurred or nonsensical, person cannot understand what's being said to them, ask the person to say their name or a simple sentence
- Time: Time is brain and it's time to call 9-1-1
Getting Faster Treatment
There are several reasons why calling 911 is the best thing to do in a stroke emergency. Most EMS (Emergency Medical Services) providers are assessing patients for stroke before arrival at the hospital using the Cincinnati Pre-Hospital Stroke Scale or the RACE scale to evaluate stroke severity.
"EMS providers are trained to recognize stroke based on clinical judgment and use of the scale," said Scott Henley, deputy chief of operations for Central Bucks EMS.
The ambulance squad works closely with Doylestown Health on getting patients faster treatment for time-critical emergencies like heart attack and stroke. Central Bucks and about 75 percent of local ambulance squads can transmit EKG's to the Emergency Department, confirming a heart attack and alerting providers to prepare for the patient's arrival.
When emergency medical personnel suspect a stroke, they notify Doylestown Health's Emergency Department with a "pre-hospital stroke alert." The alert makes available the CT scan in the Emergency Department and notifies stroke experts (neurologist, radiologist, laboratory and pharmacy) to be ready for the patient's arrival.
Stroke Alerts Save Time
With an alert from the ambulance, patients get faster care at the hospital. In one case in March, the physician was at the patient's bedside when the patient arrived. The patient had a CT scan 10 minutes after arrival. The patient received the clot-busting drug Alteplase IV r-tPA 28 minutes after arriving at the hospital. The goal is 45 minutes or less.
Scott says that since CB EMS started doing pre-hospital stroke alerts, the door-to-tPA times have dropped. "We work really closely with Doylestown Hospital's Stroke Task Force. I have a great relationship with them. It is so important to have a good relationship with the local hospital."
"Doylestown Health has an experienced stroke team available round-the-clock to provide excellent care to our patients," says Sudhir Aggarwal, MD, medical director of Doylestown Health Stroke Services. "Our state-of-the-art stroke program offers quick assessment of stroke patients, timely identification of stroke, and rapid administration of clot buster medication or mechanical removal of clot from the blocked artery in the brain, resulting in excellent outcomes for stroke patients. We also offer excellent post-stroke rehabilitation care, education and support for our patients."
Bottom line: Know the symptoms of stroke and call 911 right away if you suspect someone is having a stroke. Faster treatment can mean better outcomes and better quality of life.
Education and Support
Doylestown Health Stroke Services offers educational classes, screening events and support group meetings for stroke survivors and their families.
View upcoming stroke events
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About Stroke Care at Doylestown Health
Doylestown Hospital follows national guidelines that can greatly improve long-term outcomes for stroke patients. The Joint Commission awarded Doylestown Hospital with the Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers in recognition of our commitment to excellence in stroke care. As part of this multidisciplinary program, Doylestown Health interventional cardiologists perform an innovative non-surgical stroke treatment for large vessel blockages through Intra-Arterial Thrombectomy (IAT) to remove a stroke-causing clot thus resolving stroke symptoms immediately.