Stroke – When Seconds Count

MINNEAPOLIS (KSTP-TV), June 30, 2015 – CRL’s own Josser Delgado, MD is featured in the KSTP-TV stroke special. Delgado, MD is a Neurointerventionalist at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke. Someone will die of a stroke every four minutes, making it one of the top five leading causes of death in the country.

In this special edition of “Inside Your Health,” Dr. Archelle Georgiou takes a closer look at the growing effort in Minnesota to get stroke patients the treatment they need as quickly as possible. You’ll see how technology plays a key role in treating patients who may live miles away from a specialized stroke treatment center. You’ll also meet patients who are now working to relearn basic skills, such as walking and talking, which were impacted when they suffered a stroke.

What is a stroke?

A stroke occurs when a blood clot or other blockage disrupts blood flow in a blood vessel in the brain. The lack of oxygen causes brain cells to stop functioning and die, affecting the parts of the body controlled by these cells.

Unlike a heart attack, a person having a stroke will not feel any pain. It is often up to people around the stroke patient to recognize the symptoms and get help right away. The American Stroke Association has developed the “FAST” acronym to help people spot stroke symptoms.

F – FACE: Is one side of the face drooping or numb? Ask the person to smile. Is it uneven?

A – ARM: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm droop downward?

S – SPEECH: Is the person’s speech slurred? Are they unable to speak or understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is it repeated correctly?

T- TIME: Time to call 911. If a person shows any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately, even if the symptoms go away. Check the time so you know when the symptoms first appeared.