In an emergency, timing is everything – especially if you are having a stroke. “During a stroke, the brain isn’t getting the blood and oxygen it needs to function,” says Subhash Patel, MD, a neurologist with Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital. “The longer someone waits for treatment, the more likely they’ll suffer permanent brain damage.”

To quickly treat strokes, doctors must first determine the type of stroke a patient is experiencing. There are two types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic.

Ischemic strokes are the most common, representing 85 percent of all strokes. This occurs when a blood clot forms and interrupts blood flow to the brain. Clots are more common in people who smoke or have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and a family history of stroke. To help prevent stroke, Dr. Patel suggests addressing your risk factors. “Work with your doctor to see what your risk is and ways you can lower it,” he says.

Hemorrhagic strokes occur if a blood vessel bursts, causing blood to leak into the brain. “High blood pressure, head trauma and aneurysms can all cause a hemorrhagic stroke,” Dr. Patel says. With both types of stroke, symptoms can include a sudden onset of:

• Difficulty speaking
• Confusion
• Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Loss of vision
• Vertigo
• Loss of balance
• Headache

TIA: A warning sign
In some cases, people get a warning stroke called a transient ischemic attack or TIA. This is a “mini-stroke” in which people will experience symptoms similar to a traditional stroke. TIAs themselves aren’t permanently damaging, but they may lead to a stroke. According to the American Heart Association, 50 percent of people who experience a TIA will have a stroke within a year. “Although symptoms of a TIA may only last a few minutes, it’s important to go to the ER because we can take action to eventually prevent an impending stroke,” Dr. Patel says.

Timely treatments
For patients who come to Adventist Midwest Health with stroke symptoms, a CT scan is immediately performed on their brain. “The images tell doctors what type of stroke a patient is having,” Dr. Patel says. “This is important information because the type of stroke determines the course of treatment.”

If patients suffering from an ischemic stroke visit the ER within four and a half hours of the onset of symptoms, doctors can administer a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). This IV medication dissolves any clots in the blood vessel, which restores blood flow to the brain. “This drug is most effective when given 90 minutes within the onset of symptoms, which is why getting to the hospital right away is so important,” Dr. Patel says.

Because of technological advancements, patients who seek treatment past the optimal treatment time of four and a half hours can still receive therapies that can save their life. Physicians at Adventist Midwest Health are using the MERCI® Retriever to remove blood clots in stroke patients through a catheter in the groin. “It works similarly to an angiogram or angioplasty,” says Dr. Patel.

Treating a hemorrhagic stroke is a little more complicated than treating an ischemic stroke because doctors have to control bleeding in the brain. Although there are no known proven therapies to treat the hemorrhage itself, there are medicines available to control blood pressure, brain swelling, blood sugar levels, fever and seizures.

Read this story to learn how prompt medical treatment at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital got one stroke patient up and running.

Moving forward after stroke
Although removing the blood clot is the first step in stroke treatment, there can be a lot of work that comes after. According to the National Stroke Association, more than four million Americans are living with the after-effects of a stroke, from difficulty walking to trouble eating.

At Adventist Midwest Health, stroke patients are involved in a variety of rehabilitation programs to restore function, including physical, occupational, speech and dietary therapy. “Stroke is a multi-disciplinary disease,” Dr. Patel says. “Physicians and therapists from several specialties work together to help patients regain their independence.”

For more information or to find a physician, call us at 866-533-7968.