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EMERGENCY
TREATMENT
When a stroke occurs, Abington Memorial Hospital's stroke team takes immediate,
often lifesaving action. Studies show that swift treatment lessens damage
to the brain. When stroke victims arrive in the Emergency Trauma Center,
members of the stroke team perform CT scans or MRIs (magnetic resonance
imaging) of the brain to determine the type and location of the stroke
and the extent of any damage to brain cells and tissue. In certain ischemic
cases, physicians administer rT-PA (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator)
a drug initially utilized to minimize the effects and damage of heart
attacks. It is now being used to dissolve blood clots and limit brain
damage.
CT scan (Computed Tomography) is a
key imaging test, which uses radiation to create a picture of the brain.
It's usually one of the first tests given to patients suspected of stroke.
CT test results give valuable information about the cause of stroke and
the location and extent of brain injury.
CTA
scan (Computed Tomography Angiogram) is an
imaging test which uses radiation and dye to create a picture of the
brain.
MRI
(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses a large magnetic field to produce an
image of the brain. Like the CT scan, it shows the location and extent
of brain injury, but the image produced by MRI is sharper and more detailed.
STROKE
IDENTIFICATION BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS)
Attempts are being made
across the country to improve accuracy in diagnosing stroke before the
patient arrives at the hospital. It has been recognized that up to
30 percent of patients with stroke are misdiagnosed in the field,
which has led to the development of simple scales that attempt to accurately
diagnose stroke and help prepare emergency trauma units for their
arrival. Ongoing EMS stroke education is provided by AMH including utilization of the
FAST scale and importance of pre-hospital notification. |
