Stroke Management

TIME IS Brain— Every Minute Matters in Stroke

Stroke is a serious medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and causes bleeding. Without timely treatment, stroke can result in permanent brain damage, disability, or even death.

That is why, in stroke, do not wait—getting to the hospital as quickly as possible is critical.

REMEMBER STRO — RECOGNIZE STROKE

To quickly identify the warning signs of stroke, remember STRO:

S — Smile

Ask the person to smile.
Check whether one side of the face is drooping or uneven.

T — Talk

Ask the person to speak.
Check whether speech is slurred, unclear, or whether the person is unable to speak normally.

R — Raise Your Hands

Ask the person to raise both hands.
Check whether one arm is weak, numb, drifting downward, or difficult to raise.

O — Observe

Recognize the symptoms and act immediately.
Sudden facial drooping, slurred speech, weakness or numbness of the arm or leg, loss of balance, blurred or impaired vision, or a sudden severe headache may be warning signs of stroke.

STRO Positive? ACT FAST!

If one or more symptoms appear, do not delay—even for a moment.

• Take the patient to the hospital immediately.
• Note the exact time when the symptoms started.
• Do not give medicines, food, or water without medical advice.
• Even if the symptoms improve after a short time, do not ignore them. They may indicate a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or another serious neurological condition.
• The sooner treatment begins, the greater the opportunity to minimize brain damage and improve outcomes.

Remember: Stroke Is an Emergency.

WHY IS RAPID TREATMENT SO IMPORTANT?

Time is critical in stroke management. In particular, for an ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel supplying the brain becomes blocked, eligible patients may benefit from IV thrombolysis, a treatment that helps dissolve the blood clot.

For some patients, a clot blocking a major blood vessel may need to be removed through Mechanical Thrombectomy/Embolectomy. The appropriate treatment depends on the patient’s symptoms, the time of symptom onset, clinical assessment, and brain imaging findings.

THE SOONER THE TREATMENT, THE GREATER THE CHANCE OF RECOVERY

Following the onset of stroke symptoms, rapid assessment and treatment are essential.

For selected patients, IV thrombolysis may generally be considered within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. In carefully selected cases, advanced brain imaging may help determine whether certain treatments can be considered beyond the standard time window.

Similarly, patients with an appropriate large-vessel blockage may be candidates for Mechanical Thrombectomy, depending on clinical and imaging criteria.

So, don’t “wait and see.”

Recognize the signs of stroke and get to the hospital immediately.

RECOGNIZE STRO • ACT QUICKLY • SAVE BRAIN • SAVE LIFE