Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony - (Page 5)

For all appropriate patients, that rapid treatment involves an IV injection of tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), a protein that helps break down blood clots. Since its approval by the FDA in 1996, tPA has become part of the standard of care. Our latest figures showed that 25 percent of all patients discharged from St. Anthony after a stroke received tPA. That’s compared with the national average of less than 5 percent. Unfortunately, the treatment window with IV tPA is narrow: It must be administered within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. If more people could get to the Emergency Room within the treatment window, we could help even more stroke victims. Treating stroke aggressively but safely is what makes St. Anthony Hospital so successful. I give stroke talks to professionals around the country on how to maximize door-to-needle times. They want to know how we do it. 3. The NeuroiNTerveNTioNalisT Scott Shay, M.D. I tell my patients’ families that I’m a “human plumber.” When IV tPA doesn’t resolve the clot, or when that optimal window for its use has closed, it’s my job to recanalize the blocked vessel so that blood flow is restored to the brain. Our starting point, when the head CT scan doesn’t show bleeding, is brain catheterization. We usually start in the groin region, advancing the long, hollow tubes called catheters into the neck and to the point of the blockage. Depending upon the patient’s condition, time elapsed since the event occurred, Expect GoldStandard Care st. anthony hospital is a nationally recognized Primary stroke Center. Two major awards speak to the scope and quality of our care: • the Joint commission’s Gold Seal for Disease-Specific certification for Stroke care. This award signals that the hospital’s stroke-related programs, associates and physicians are leaders in the rocky Mountain region. We were recertified in 2012. • the american heart and Stroke associations’ 2011 Gold Plus Performance award. it recognizes st. anthony hospital’s meeting all criteria of their get with the guidelines stroke program. For more information, visit stanthonyhosp.org/ stroke. 2. The NeurologisT RichaRD SMith, M.D. All strokes are not alike. Rapidly determining the cause and scope of the event is vital to a positive outcome. There are two types of strokes: • Ischemic, where a blocked artery interrupts blood flow to the brain, depriving the brain of oxygen and essential nutrients. Approximately 85 percent of strokes are ischemic. When the symptoms resolve quickly, typically within one hour, the event is called a transient ischemic attack, or TIA (often referred to as a ministroke). • Hemorrhagic, where a blood vessel ruptures, causing bleeding into or around the brain. The neurologist’s specialized knowledge of brain anatomy, function and blood supply enables him or her to assess a patient’s symptoms and examination, and a CT or MRI of the brain allows determination of the subtype. Once the diagnosis is established and the time of onset is confirmed, a decision can be made regarding the optimal means of treatment. Recognizing a Stroke Every minute counts! When it comes to stroke, remember to act FaSt: F = Face Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? a = arms Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Is one arm weak or numb? S = Speech Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is speech slurred? Is the sentence repeated correctly? t = time If the person shows any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately! Vim & Vigor • SUm mer 2012 5 http://www.stanthonyhosp.org/stroke http://www.stanthonyhosp.org/stroke

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Community Connections
Stroke of Genius
A Full Spectrum of Caring
The Breakfast Club
Arthritis Answers
A TV Guide to Radiology
Take Aim
It Might NOT Be Cancer
Colin Firth
Step Up to the Plate
Life After Cancer
Get Dad to the Doc
Virtual Health
All Eyes on the Future
One Summer’s Day
A Family Affair
A New Home for Care
Measuring Up
Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Summer 2012 - St. Anthony