Published on May 01, 2009

May is National Stroke Awareness Month

During a stroke...
Every second the brain loses 8.7 hours of life
Every hour the brain loses 3.6 years of life
On average, the brain loses 36 years of life.

Rogue Valley Medical Center is a certified Primary Stroke Center and has the Gold Seal of Approval for stroke care from the prestigious Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.
The stroke team wants you to know the facts and warning signs of stroke and what you should do in the event of a stroke. Up to 80 percent of all strokes are preventable. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Use the stroke risk scorecard, click here.

Learn more about stroke at  RVMC.org.

What is Stroke?

• A stroke is a sudden blockage in an artery that stops the blood supply leading to the brain.
• Every second without blood flow means lost brain function.
• 90 percent of those surviving a stroke will be left with some type of deficit.

 

What are the Warning Signs of Stroke?

^{If you or someone else experiences any of these symptoms call 911 immediately - it may be a stroke. Even if the symptoms resolve in a few minutes still call 911!}

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg- especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, 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.

How is Stroke Treated at RVMC?

If given within three hours of the onset of symptoms, a medication called tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) can halt damage by dissolving the blood clots causing the stroke. After the three-hour mark, tPA is not beneficial.
Your stroke care team will determine if tPA is right for you. As soon as you arrive at the hospital, you will be have a CT scan of the brain and laboratory tests to help doctors determine what kind of stroke you are having. If doctors give you tPA, you will spend the first 24 hours of your stay in the intensive care unit so nurses can monitor you carefully.  

Why a "Primary Stroke Center?"

For the 220 patients treated for stroke at RVMC in 2008, they had a better chance to save brain function. RVMC has met demanding treatment standards to fast-track patients suspected of stroke so that doctors can begin brain-saving treatments immediately.

Only 36 percent of Americans live near a hospital designated as a stroke center. In Oregon only RVMC in Medford and three hospitals in Portland have Primary Stroke Center certification. "Our physicians have extensive specialized training, and we have established proven standard protocols that minimize the long-term effects of a stroke," says Brewer.
 
For more information visit http://www.stroke.org/.