Stroke Team at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital
When a patient arrives in the Emergency Department, the Acute Stroke On-Call Team – consisting of the neurologist, nurses, laboratory staff and imaging technologists – is activated with one call. This multidisciplinary acute stroke team is available 24/7 and begins immediate evaluation to determine the appropriate intervention for the situation.
What is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die.
A stroke may also be called a cerebral vascular accident, or CVA. There are two forms of stroke: ischemic - blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain, and hemorrhagic - bleeding into or around the brain.
A transient ischemic stroke (TIA) is a “mini stroke” or “warning stroke.” TIAs happen when an obstruction (blood clot) occurs for a short time, then tends to resolve itself. They produce stroke-like symptoms, but usually no lasting damage. TIAs are strong indicators of a possible major stroke.
The symptoms of a stroke or TIA include:
- sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
- sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
- sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- sudden trouble with walking, dizziness or loss of balance or coordination
- sudden severe headache with no known cause
Minutes Count! There are treatments that may reduce the risk of damage from a stroke but only if you get help quickly – within 3 hours from onset of symptoms.
For more information about stroke care, stroke support groups and community education classes at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, please call the Stroke Program at (530) 274-6771.
