Ashtabula County Medical Center | ACMC Pulse | Winter 2018

ACMC Pulse  • acmchealth.org 3 SPEECH Does one side of the face droop? Is it numb? Can they smile? Is the smile uneven? FACE F.A.S.T. An easy way to remember the sudden signs of stroke If someone shows any of these signs, call 911 right away. Other Stroke Signs Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Can they correctly repeat a simple sentence? Is it slurred or hard to understand? Call 911 immediately, even if the signs go away. Note the time when the first signs appeared. It will help with treatment options. + + Sudden numbness or weak- ness of a leg. + + Sudden confusion or trouble understanding. + + Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. + + Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination. + + Sudden severe headache with no known cause. TIME Source: American Stroke Association EARLIER THIS YEAR, ACMC earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for following strict stroke treatment guidelines. Now, ACMC is improving its care by implementing new stroke protocols recommended by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). ACMC Emergency Department Nurse Director Kathy Doytek, RN, said previous guidelines called for different treatment options dependent upon when a person had the stroke. “The previous guidelines suggested different treatment plans for patients who sought care immediately than for patients who waited.” Increasing efficiency and accuracy Imraan Haniff, MD, Medical Director of the ACMC Emergency Department, said the new guidelines mean that ACMC’s Emergency Department, Imaging Department and other caregivers work even more efficiently together to pinpoint exactly what caused the stroke. “We see the symptoms in front of us, but by utilizing the new protocols with our current imaging technology, we can pinpoint exactly where the bleeding has occurred on the brain,” Dr. Haniff said. “We ensure the patient is stabilized and ready for treatment prior to transport if they need care beyond what is available at ACMC.” Improving patient safety and recovery time Treatment in many cases involves a new surgical technique, which was recommended by the AAN. Rather than performing open brain surgery to break up a stroke-causing blood clot, surgeons use a new technique that inserts tools via the artery leading from the groin to the brain. “The clot-busting drugs are delivered exactly to the site of the clot,” Doytek said. “It improves patient safety and potentially reduces the recovery time for the patient.” Patients who need surgery are transported to Cleveland Clinic’s main campus, Fairview, or Hillcrest. “It is a team effort—from the first responders who transport the patient to us to the Emergency Department caregivers who work while communicating patient data to Cleveland Clinic. The patient is transported and ready for surgery so they can receive the clot-busting drugs they need as soon as they arrive,” Doytek said. “The current protocols will provide even better treatment options and outcomes for ACMC patients.” ACMC earns prestigious award for stroke care ARM