LAKEWOOD, NJ - May is National Stroke
Awareness Month and the Primary Stroke Center at Kimball
Medical Center reminds people that knowing the symptoms of
stroke and acting quickly can make the difference between
life and death, for you or someone you know.
“Stroke symptoms may often be minimized and possibly
reversed if treatment is delivered early,” says Erin
Winkels, BSN, Clinical Educator/Stroke Coordinator for the
Education Department at Kimball. “Studies have
shown that clot-busting drugs delivered within the first
three hours may be effective in limiting the debilitating
effects of stroke, patients must recognize the warning signs
and call 911 immediately.”
For those who suspect someone is having stroke, Winkels
advises they just remember to Act “FAST.” Each
one of the letters in FAST stands for a word which you can
use to uncover a symptom of stroke.
F = Face; Ask the person to smile. Does
their face droop to one side?
A = Arms; Is one arm weak or numb? Ask
the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech; Is their speech slurred? Ask
the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is the sentence
repeated correctly?
T = Time; If the person shows any
of these symptoms call 911 or get to the hospital immediately
Almost half of all stroke patients arrive at the emergency
room by their own means. Winkels strongly advises against
it. “If you or someone near you is exhibiting any
sign of stroke, call 911. Transport by an ambulance is best
for getting to the Emergency Room," she said. “Doing
so allows emergency medical personnel the proper time to
mobilize resources such as a CAT scan and the stroke team
ahead of the patient’s arrival.”
Winkels cautions that stroke does not discriminate, and
although some people are at higher risk than others due to
lifestyle and family history, anyone can have a stroke. Treatable
risk factors include: hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol
and heart problems.
People often wait to see if their symptoms will go away
and unwittingly put themselves in greater danger. Symptoms
that last for only a few minutes and then subside may indicate
a transient ischemic attack or TIA.
“A TIA or ‘mini-stroke’ is a serious medical
event and requires treatment; it is also a potential warning
sign of more dangerous stroke in the future. Seeking medical
care during a TIA may help physicians prevent future stroke,” says
Winkels.
Kimball Medical Center’s designated Stroke Center
include a designated stroke team led by a board-certified
neurologist and consisting of other board-certified neurologists,
board-certified hospitalists, specially trained nurses, board-certified
radiologists, physiatrists and rehabilitation therapists. Additionally,
state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging capabilities, an intensive
care unit led by nurses skilled at handling neurological
emergencies and an inpatient stroke care unit where nurses
have been specially trained in stroke care and rehabilitation
and a wide array of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
services, including physical and occupational therapy and
speech-language pathology.
Additionally, The Stroke Center at Kimball Medical Center
participates in quality and data collection in order to benchmark
the outcomes of diagnosis and treatment against similar designated
Primary Stroke Centers. Such analysis is an important resource
used by physicians and other medical professionals to inform
them of factors valuable to the continuity of care of our
patients.
The Stroke Center at Kimball Medical Center is dedicated
to delivering comprehensive emergency and continued care
to stroke victims, placing a major emphasis on stroke prevention
and education.
For more information or to reach The Stroke Center at Kimball,
please call the Saint Barnabas Health Care Link at 1-888-SBHS-123
(888-724-7123).
If you think you or a person with you is having
a stroke DON’T WAIT, call 911 immediately.
Date: April 28, 2009
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@sbhcs.com
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