Stroke

Our hospital is certified by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration as a Comprehensive Stroke Center and by The Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center. This demonstrates our commitment to following stringent, evidence-based guidelines to help patients experience a higher quality of life following a stroke.

Additionally, we are recognized by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for providing care and treatment that leads to lower readmission rates, higher survival rates and significantly better outcomes for patients who experience strokes.

When our emergency room (ER) team is alerted by emergency medical services (EMS) that a patient experiencing stroke symptoms is on the way, they immediately notify our stroke care team. As soon as the patient arrives, our stroke team rapidly assesses the patient and begins providing necessary treatment. This includes administering clot-dissolving drugs or performing lifesaving neurological procedures.

Our dedicated neurointerventional suite

After treatment, patients are moved to our neurointerventional suite, a state-of-the-art, specialized neurological care unit. Here, our neurologists and neurosurgeons treat and diagnose brain injuries, strokes and aneurysms. The neurointerventional imaging performed in this specialized suite means shorter procedure times, lower radiation doses and reduced after-effects of stroke.

After a stroke, our licensed physical and speech therapists are here to help you regain your abilities, strength, balance and independence. Our physical therapy and rehabilitation program includes individualized physical, occupational and speech-language therapies and specialized voice and swallowing assistance services.

A stroke is caused by interrupted blood flow to part of the brain. When blood flow is stopped, that part of the brain can't receive oxygen and other nutrients. This causes brain cells to die and can result in permanent damage, even death.

There are different types of strokes, including:

• Hemorrhagic stroke: when a blood vessel ruptures and blood leaks into the brain
• Ischemic stroke: when a blood clot blocks blood flow to part of the brain
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA) or "mini stroke": when there is temporary interruption of blood flow to part of the brain

It's important to be able to recognize signs of a stroke so you can act quickly when they occur. Common stroke symptoms include sudden:

• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Numbness, weakness or paralysis of the face, arm or leg (especially on one side of the body)
• Severe headache with no known cause (may be accompanied by pain in the face or stiffness in the neck)
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes (such as blurred, blackened or double vision)
• Trouble speaking
• Trouble walking

The symptoms of a TIA are the same as those of a stroke, but they usually last only a few minutes. If you think you are experiencing a stroke, don't drive. Call 911.

There are certain factors and conditions that may put you at risk for stroke. However, some of those conditions can often be treated. Some of the major risk factors for stroke include:

• Being 55 years old and older
• Having a family history of stroke
• Having atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Having diabetes
• Having heart disease
• Having high blood pressure
• Having high cholesterol
• Having poor circulation