- Home
- Emergency Department
- Stroke - Time Matters
Can you get showered and dressed for work or school? Can you boil some spaghetti for dinner? Can you get to the store before it closes?
Or can you act to save a loved one who might be having a stroke?
Nothing is more important than time when someone is suffering a stroke. The sooner someone gets medical attention, the better the chances of recovery. The more minutes that pass – even 15 minutes – the more likely the chance of brain injury, permanent disability, even death.
“It’s important to know the signs and symptoms of a stroke,” says Charles Emerman, MD, Chair of MetroHealth’s Department of Emergency Medicine. “If someone is showing symptoms, don’t wait to see if they’ll subside. We need to see them in the Emergency Department – the sooner the better.” There are treatment options given in the ER that are more effective and only possible when patients arrive at the early onset of a stroke.
Signs and symptoms of a stroke include:
F is for Face: Have the person smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A is for Arms: Raise both arms. Does one arm stay lower or drop down?
S is for Speech: Does the person have slurred or strange speech?
T is for Time: If the answer is yes to any of these questions, don’t delay. Call 911 right away.
“Strokes are the leading cause of adult disability in America,” says Dr. Emerman. “The good news is that up to 80 percent of them are preventable.”
Talk to your MetroHealth primary care provider about lowering the risk factors for stroke, which include:
MetroHealth’s renowned experts in emergency care are now closer to home, with 24-hour Emergency Departments in Brecksville, Cleveland (Main Campus), Cleveland Heights and Parma. Learn more about our Emergency Departments.