The Stroke Center at Hartford Hospital became the first center in all of New England to be certified as a comprehensive stroke center.
The certification is important for patients, because it means these are hospitals that are part of an elite group of hospitals and health care systems that can offer the most specialized stroke care twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.
Dr. Gary Spiegel is the co-director of the Stroke Center at Hartford Hospital. He joins the Morning Extra to talk about the symptoms of a stroke for National Stroke Awareness Month.
It’s critical for people to be aware that the longer that blood flow is blocked, the more damage there will be to the brain. Unlike heart attacks, stroke symptoms are not immediately apparent, and it can be hours before someone seeks treatment after suffering one. So every minute counts, and expanding the window of time for treatment has been a major goal.
Warning signs to be aware of in case someone is having a stroke; remember the acronym FAST:
- F: face. does one side droop?
- A: arms. does one arm drift downward?
- S: speech. is their speech slurred strange?
- T: time is of the essence. call 9-1-1 immediately.
For more information, go to: www.harthosp.org/stroke.