With a stroke, every minute counts
Prompt action can often make possible a complete recovery
“Time is brain.” That’s the phrase stroke experts use to implore the public to seek medical attention as fast as possible in the event of a suspected stroke. Brain tissue can begin to suffer damage or die when it is deprived of oxygen for just a few minutes. For stroke victims, speedy treatment can mean the difference between full recovery and long-term disability—or even between life and death.
Rapid treatment with a clot-dissolving drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) reduces stroke patients’ risk of death and increases their chances of being able to walk and go home when they leave the hospital, according to a study published in the June 19, 2013, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. For every 15 minutes’ reduction in the time until the start of tPA therapy, the study found, patients were significantly less likely to die or have an intracranial hemorrhage, and more likely to walk and be sent home when discharged.
Nurse practitioner Doreen Monks, APN, program director for the Stroke Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, says that tPA works best if it is delivered within three hours of the onset of symptoms—“and if we can start treatment within 90 minutes, it is even more efficacious and has fewer side effects.” She emphasizes, however, that suspected stroke victims should seek treatment promptly whether or not they’re within these time windows. As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, Saint Barnabas can offer neuroendovascular procedures that in some cases can expand the effective treatment window up to eight hours or more.
A stroke occurs when the brain is deprived of blood, and thus of the oxygen it provides. If brain cells die or are damaged, symptoms occur in the parts of the body those brain cells control. The two types of stroke are ischemic (is-KEmik) and hemorrhagic (hem-ah-RA J-ik). Ischemic, the more common kind, accounts for 80 to 85 percent of all strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs if an artery that supplies blood to the brain becomes blocked. Blood clots from the heart or the neck can often cause the blockages that lead to ischemic strokes. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when an artery in the brain ruptures or leaks blood.
Symptoms of stroke include:
• sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side)
• sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
• sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• sudden trouble walking, dizziness,loss of balance or coordination
• sudden severe unexplained headache. —D.L.
Act FAST if you suspect a stroke A stroke is a true medical emergency, and the sooner the patient gets treatment, the better the chances that permanent damage can be prevented or minimized. If you think someone is having a stroke, remember the acronym “FAST” to check for warning signs.
F for Face. Does the face droop on one side when the person tries to smile?
A for Arms. Is one arm lower when he or she tries to raise both arms?
S for Speech. Can a simple sentence be repeated? Is speech slurred or strange?
T for Time. Every minute counts, so if you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1.
