Stroke

Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die.

St. Francis Hospital is the area's first hospital to recieve accrediation as a Primary Stroke Center through The Joint Commission.

St. Francis is also recognized by the American Heart and Stroke Association as being a Get With the Guidelines stroke hospital. As a Get With the Guidelines hospital, St. Francis aims to consistently treat and discharge patients according to evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines helps hospitals close the treatment gap and reduce disparities in the acute care and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Stroke Symptoms:

• Sudden weakness or numbness of the 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
• Severe headaches with no known cause

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should get to St. Francis Hospital fast. St. Francis is the only hospital in the area that is equipped to conduct emergency care for stroke victims 24 hours a day. Upon arrival, patients receive a CT (computed tomography) of the brain or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain scan. These diagnostic tests examine how the brain looks, works and gets its blood supply.

St. Francis' staff has specialized training that certifies them as Hospital Providers for "Advanced Stroke Life Support." Through this training, they are able to perform a focused evaluation to identify stroke, its location and severity. This allows early treatment, and early treatment can result in significant reduction in risk for disability. At St. Francis Hospital, we also have a neurologist and neurosurgeon on call 24/7.

Knowing your risk is the key to prevention. By having regular check-ups, you can learn the risk factors and how to control them to prevent stroke. Please contact The Patrick Heart Institute if you have questions about diagnosing stroke or our stroke recovery program.