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Could you tell if someone were having a
stroke?
If so, you might save a life or help
someone avoid a severe disability. Stroke
is the fourth leading cause of death in
this country and a major cause of severe,
long-term health problems.
People who are having a stroke have
the best chance of recovery if someone
nearby recognizes the symptoms
and calls 911 immediately. One tipo of
a stroke is the suddenness of symp-
toms. To recognize a stroke, you can
check ve things.
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They may have
a hard time talking.
They might have
problems getting
words out or sound
as though they have
something in their
mouth when they try
to speak. They may
also use words that
don’t make sense.
And one side of their
mouth might droop.
3
If you ask people
in the midst of stroke
to raise both of their
arms at the same time,
one armmay begin to
fall down. Likewise,
if you ask them to
squeeze your ngers
with each hand, one
hand may be weaker
than the other.
4
People expe-
riencing strokes
often have signi -
cant changes in vi-
sion. They may have
trouble seeing with
one or both eyes.
Their sight may be
blurry or they may see
double. In addition,
they may not be able
to see everything in
their eld of vision.
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They may have
a sudden, severe
headache of no known
cause. In fact, they may
describe it as the worst
headache of their lives.
A sound or loud noise
might make their head-
ache worse. And light
might bother or hurt
their eyes.
Sources: American College of Emergency Physicians; American Heart
Association; American Stroke Association; National Institutes of Health
New technology gives us new ways to
stay connected, like sharing snapshots
immediately with friends or using a
webcam to see and hear distant relatives.
In a similar way, technology now in the
Halifax Regional Hospital emergency
department is helping us deliver timely
stroke care.
Racing the clock
Most strokes happen when a clot
blocks blood ow to the brain, robbing its
cells of oxygen they need. A clot-busting
drug called tissue plasminogen activator
(TPA) can restore blood ow and help pre-
vent disability in people who have these
strokes. But it must be given within three
1
People having a
stroke may seem to have
lost strength on one side
of their body. They may
slump to one side and be
unable to stand straight.
They might also veer to
one side when trying to
walk and drag the foot on
the side they are leaning
toward.
How to spot the signs of stroke
hours of the onset of symptoms and only
after doctors determine whether the pa-
tient is a candidate for TPA. Often, making
that decision requires consultation from a
neurologist who specializes in strokes.
That’s where telestroke comes in.
Telestroke uses a videoconference system
and a web connection to link our emer-
gency department to stroke specialists
whenever their expertise is needed. When
a person who may be having a stroke
arrives at the emergency department,
doctors can activate the secure system to
connect with a remote neurologist if one
is not immediately available here.
Despite not physically being at the
hospital, the distant stroke teammember
can still see and hear the patient and
emergency department doctor, and vice
versa. The neurologist can do a stroke
exam, review brain scans, take a patient
history and work with the emergency
physician. The result is a swift deter-
mination as to whether TPA or other
treatments are needed. This is essential,
because time is crucial when someone is
having a stroke.
Be a partner—learn stroke signs
Telestroke is a partnership that helps
us deliver stroke care as quickly as possi-
ble. But you’re a partner too. Learn stroke’s
warning signs, and call 911 right away if
you spot them in yourself or someone else.
Telestroke brings stroke specialists to you
life and health
w
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