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Stroke and Early Intervention
November 18, 2008 |
In June, Ivory Scott was running an errand to his local auto parts store. While
standing at the check-out counter his life changed forever.
Ivory says, “I was talking to the guy and he asked me if I was all right and just
that quick he couldn’t understand a word I was saying. I read books about strokes
and the symptoms of the stroke and I knew right away what I was having. I said 9-1-1
stroke.”
After the store clerk
called 911, EMS arrived in minutes. It’s an act that could
have saved Ivory’s life because when it comes to stroke evaluation and treatment,
sooner is better. “It really is important because 99 times out of 100 of seeing
somebody in the emergency room who has come in as a stroke alert, they’ve basically
monkeyed around so long at home trying to figure out whether there was important
symptoms or not that we blow that three hours,”
says neurologist Dr. Paul Driscoll.
It’s important that patients are treated within the first three hours after they
first show symptoms of a stroke. “What we try to do is get you through your blood
work, through your cat scan of your head, your EKG, your assessment and onto the
intravenous blood thinner if we can safely give it.”
Recognizing stroke symptoms is the key to getting quick and effective treatment.
Common symptoms include slurred or altered speech, weakness of one side of the body
and occasionally a sudden headache or loss of consciousness. If you suspect that
you or someone around you is having a stroke do not attempt to drive to the hospital,
you should immediately call 9-1-1. |
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