Stroke Education and Treatment
Ranked among the top five percent in the nation for stroke treatment, Hoag
has been certified as a
Comprehensive Stroke Center by DNV GL Healthcare USA, Inc.* and has been awarded the American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association's
Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite. This is the eighth year Hoag has received the Gold Plus Quality Achievement
Award and the second year for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite.
Hoag Hospital provides comprehensive services for the evaluation, prevention,
treatment and ongoing care of stroke patients. When it comes to stroke,
studies have shown a significant improvement in outcomes when best practice
protocols are applied. Surviving a stroke not only means seeking immediate
medical attention at the first sign of symptoms, but also receiving treatment
at a medical center experienced in acute stroke management.
What is Stroke?
To understand a stroke, think of it as a heart attack that happens in the
brain. A stroke (or brain attack) is a potentially fatal condition that
occurs when a blood clot, or ruptured blood vessel, interferes with blood
flow to the brain. When this happens, part of the brain cannot get the
blood and oxygen it needs, so it starts to die.
Every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. It is the third leading
cause of death and the leading cause of disability in adults. Depending
on the type, extent and location of the damage – as well as how
quickly emergency care is given – a stroke can result in death or
may permanently impair a person's ability to move, speak, think, remember,
respond normally or live independently.
Warning Signs of Stroke
- Sudden change in vision – blurred or loss of vision
- Sudden confusion or difficulty of speech – slurred or sluggish, loss
of words or difficulty understanding words
- Sudden weakness – loss of strength in face, hand, arm and/or leg
on one side of the body
- Sudden loss of balance or dizziness – difficulty walking or clumsiness
- Sudden change in sensation – heaviness, numbness or unusual sensation
in face, hand, arm and/or leg on one side of the body
- Sudden severe headache, unexplained, often described as the worst headache ever
Even if the symptoms only last a few minutes, it could be a mini-stroke,
which is called a TIA (transient ischemic attack). TIA is also a medical
emergency that requires immediate medical attention. An unrecognized and
untreated TIA may be followed by a major disabling stroke. Therefore,
if any of the above symptoms occur, it is critical to seek immediate emergency
treatment.
Another quick way to identify a stroke is to follow the Act F.A.S.T. signs:
Face – Facial droop; uneven smile
Arm – Arm numbness/weakness
Speech – Slurred speech; difficulty speaking or understanding
Time – Call 911 immediately
*Hoag Hospital Newport Beach was certified as a Comprehensive Stroke Center
by DNV GL Healthcare USA, Inc. in October 2016.