Early stroke treatment means a greater chance for recovery and less brain damage. Learn more about the importance of TPA and immediate treatment for strokes.
Chapman Offutt, RN, Neuroscience Coordinator
A stroke is either an ischemic stroke, which is when a blood clot blocks an artery in the brain, or you can have a hemorrhagic stroke, where a blood vessel or aneurism ruptures into the brain.
Ronnie White, Paducah, Kentucky
The first sign of my stroke was my stroke. It was on me before I knew it. My wife, she calls 911, I could hear the sirens come, and they came in like gangbusters. We were off to Baptist hospital.
Offutt
For an acute stroke symptom, it’s very important to get to the hospital as soon as possible. Early treatment means a greater chance of recovery and less damage to the brain. As a former EMT, I had a strong foundation in knowing the background of EMS, their sciences, their assessment skills. With their ability to recognize a stroke early, provide immediate intervention, and notify us as soon as possible, our chances of providing excellent stroke care are paramount and give our patients a greater chance of recovery.
Jeremy Jeffrey, Executive Director, Mercy Regional EMS
The most time-saving thing is with the drawing of labs in the field. They have the first set of labs as soon as we get to the door at Baptist Health, and then we go straight to the CAT scan, which saves an enormous amount of time, which for the patient means they get quicker TPA.
Offutt
TPA is a medication used to dissolve blood clots. It’s an IV medication that’s given over an hour, and it dissolves that clot and restores blood flow to the brain.
White
You don’t really know what a miracle is until it happens to you. That shot is a miracle. It’s a miracle.
Strokes are the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States. Take our stroke risk assessment to estimate your personal risk of having a stroke, and identify your stroke risk factors and how to improve them.
Find Out Your Stroke Risk
