Suspect Stroke? Minutes Matter!
Published Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Suspect Stroke? Minutes Matter!
By Keli Cristofaro, Stroke Community Engagement Specialist, NWORSN
According to a recent poll, four in ten Canadians do not know the signs of stroke as identified by the acronym FAST:
Face – is it drooping?
Arms – can you raise both?
Speech – is it slurred or jumbled?
Time – call 9-1-1 right away.
The acronym F.A.S.T. is a technique to learn and remember the signs of stroke. A stroke can be mild, moderate or severe, which is why a FAST evaluation and treatment are required.
Calling 9-1-1 or your local emergency number is the best way for a person experiencing a stroke to receive the most efficient and timely care. In Ontario, only 60 per cent of people who experienced a stroke arrived to hospital by ambulance; looking specifically at Northwestern Ontario, that number drops to 55 per cent. Stroke is a medical emergency in which minutes matter, and when the ambulance arrives, the patient can start to receive care immediately. This is especially important in Northwestern Ontario, where the large geography results in longer travel times to the hospital.
Paramedics are trained to recognize the signs of stroke and start the time-sensitive management of stroke. They know which hospitals are best equipped to treat a stroke in the region. Paramedics will start to establish the patient’s medical history, which is essential to treatment; a family member is also encouraged to accompany the stroke patient to the hospital if further information is needed. The paramedics can pre-alert the hospital that a stroke patient is on their way, a critical piece in activating the processes of stroke care in the hospital before arriving.
The Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network (NWORSN) recognizes that supporting the Emergency Medical System providers is vital to seamless stroke care. Additionally, there are dedicated volunteers in Northwestern Ontario, known as First Response Teams, who are on call 24/7. These teams can support suspected stroke patients as they prepare to hand off to the paramedics. The First Response Teams are a vital link between the suspected stroke patient and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
To learn more, watch this video: https://bit.ly/Suspect-Stroke-Minutes-Matter
which demonstrates a patient’s stroke journey in two ways - the delays while self-transporting (split screen left) and the benefits of time savings when accessing EMS (split screen right) to the emergency department.