If you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering a stroke, the first thing you should do is call 911 or head right to the hospital. But once you arrive, what should you expect? What treatment will you receive?
In an effort to answer these questions, RiverheadLOCAL reached out to Dr. Phillepe Vaillancourt of South Shore Neurologic Associates in Riverhead, who explained not only what will happen to stroke patients when they reach the emergency room doors, but also what the signs of a stroke are and about prevention and recovery.
In the Emergency Room
When a hospital such as Peconic Bay Medial Center, a New York State Department of Health designated Stroke Center, is alerted by EMTs that a stroke victim is arriving, emergency room personal immediately begin preparing, said Vaillancourt.
“They are ready to receive the patient as soon as they hit the door,” said Vaillancourt, adding that if a patient walks into the emergency room with a stroke, the triage nurse will trigger a Code Gray, similar to a Code Blue, meant for heart attack victims.
The code call triggers the clock, said Vaillancourt, meaning doctors and nurses must work quickly to meet a stringent timeline of tests, including blood tests and a CT scan so that a blood clot busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) can be administered.
“Everything must be done in a timely manner,” said Vaillancourt. “There are very ridged time stamps that have to be achieved.”
This is because t-PA can only be administered in less than three and a half hours of a stroke, according to Vaillancourt. t-PA is the only FDA approved treatment for ischemic strokes, where an obstruction exists in a blood vessel that is supplying blood to the brain. t-PA dissolves the obstruction, allowing blood flow to the brain.
“Ideally, the diagnosis is made and t-PA is administered within an hour of arrival,” he said, adding that the FDA is considering expanding the time window to allow t-PA to be administered up to four and a half hours of a stroke.
For those that arrive at the hospital after the t-PA window has passed, Vaillancourt said they would be transferred to a hospital such as the University Hospital at Stony Brook for a surgical procedure to manually remove clots.
Know the Signs
Since time is of the essence, Vaillancourt said it is vital to pay attention to the warning signs and get to a hospital as soon as possible to prevent death or further damage.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year more than 795,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke, with one out of every 19 of those resulting in death. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
Those suffering a stroke will exhibit warning symptoms such as weakness on one side of the body, speech disturbance, vertigo and numbness or tingling on one side of the body without weakness. Other symptoms can include confusion, difficulty walking, vision disturbance or sudden severe headache.
Recovery
Depending on the size and severity of a stroke, Vaillancourt said is it sometimes possible to make a full recovery.
“Some will recover at variable degrees, with some recovering from full paralysis on one side. Others suffer a partial paralysis, and some unfortunately remain fully paralyzed with even their speech and comprehension affected.”
Prevention
Strokes can’t always be prevented, but there are precautionary measures that people, especially those that are at risk for a stroke, including those with a history of hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, those with coronary artery disease and those with a prior history of stroke, should take.
Vaillancourt said that it is most important that people over 50 see their doctor once a year, monitor their blood pressure on a regular basis and exercise for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a week. They should also eat fish once a week, stick to a sensible diet and minimize their carbohydrate intake.
