Israeli Prime Minister’s Condition Brings Attention to Stroke Treatment
Stroke Warning Signs
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion and trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Source: National Stroke Association
Recognizing when someone else is experiencing a stroke is sometimes difficult. To help you assess the situation, ask the person: 1) to smile 2) to raise both arms and 3) to speak a simple sentence. Of the person has trouble completing these tasks, call 911 immediately.
January 2006 — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s recent massive stroke has brought renewed attention to this serious medical condition. Each year, about 700,000 Americans experience a new or recurrent stroke, which is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Stroke also is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the nation, with about 4.7 million stroke survivors alive today.
Memorial Stroke Programs are two of only a handful of programs in Florida certified as Primary Stroke Centers by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) — the nation’s predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in healthcare.
The programs are operational at both Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Hospital West. JCAHO’s Primary Stroke Center Certification is based on the recommendations for primary stroke centers published by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association.
Leading Expertise and Treatment
A stroke, or brain attack, occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blocked or burst blood vessel. This deprives the brain of oxygen, and as a result, can affect bodily functions, such as speech, sight or mobility.
A Brain Attack Team is available at both Memorial Regional Hospital and Memorial Hospital West 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide some of the latest neurovascular treatments, including administration of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) to help prevent serious brain injury. The Brain Attack Team collaborates with emergency medical services (EMS) personnel for prompt, coordinated intervention and features acute-stroke physicians and nurses certified by the National Institutes of Health.
If you are concerned about your risk for stroke and would like a referral to a physician, call Memorial Physician Referral Service toll-free at (800) 944-DOCS. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.