What is ischemic stroke. What are signs and symptoms.

For Physicians
The standard of care for acute ischemic stroke in most of today's hospital stroke centers is the administering of a clot-busting medication tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) within 3 to 4 1/2 hours of symptom onset. However, if the patient has missed the opportunity for early care, or tPA treatment has failed to fully dissolve the clot, alternative lifesaving "inside-the-artery," interventional procedures exist that may be used up to eight hours after the start of symptoms. When clinically appropriate, specialists can use these procedures to physically remove the clot from the artery to restore blood flow to the brain.

This website was developed to educate the public on the importance of immediate medical attention for acute ischemic stroke, and to raise awareness of the range of treatment options available at more advanced Stroke Centers around the country.

To learn more about the Penumbra System®, and interventional clot removal with aspiration technology, please visit www.penumbrainc.com.

On average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the United States.

But, did you know stroke can be treated if you get to the right hospital in time?

Quick, efficient stroke treatment (QuEST) is critical for ischemic stroke victims to help preserve brain cells and reduce the risk of long-term disability, or even death.

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Fast Facts:

	Stroke affects 800,000 Americans every year
	A stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the U.S.
	Every 4 minutes someone dies of a stroke
	Stroke Can Be Treated

Know Where to Go in Case Stroke Strikes. Join the QuEST.

Find an advanced Stroke Center with comprehensive treatment options near you.

About Ischemic Stroke
Stroke affects 800,000 Americans every year¹. It is the leading cause of adult disability and the fourth leading cause of death in the United States². The majority of strokes are ischemic, which means a blood clot is lodged in a small or large artery carrying oxygenated blood to the brain. The blood clot reduces blood flow, depriving brain cells of oxygen, and as a result, the affected area of the brain cannot function. If the artery remains blocked for an extended period of time, the brain cells may die, leading to extensive brain damage or even death.

Who Does Ischemic Stroke Affect?
There are many factors, either hereditary or related to health conditions that determine if a person is at risk for ischemic stroke; however, risk for both men and women increases with age.³ Lifestyle choices can also increase the risk of ischemic stroke, such as smoking, which is a very dangerous habit that can double a person’s risk.

Health Condition Risk Factors

Atrial Fibrillation

High blood pressure

Heart disease

Hardening of the arteries (Atherosclerosis)

Diabetes

Obesity

Lifestyle Risk Factors

Smoking

Unhealthy diet

Alcohol consumption

How to Know if it’s a Stroke: Signs & Symptoms
Common symptoms of stroke include numbness in parts of the body, particularly in the face or arms, and weakness or partial paralysis along one side of the body. One might also experience slurred speech or have trouble walking.

These symptoms are summed up by the FAST system (Face, Arm, Speech, and Time), which is used by The Stroke Association, the American Stroke Association and the National Stroke Association.

American Stroke Association. Impact of Stroke. Website http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/Impact-of-Stroke_UCM_310728_Article.jsp#.T0vIVXlS7Nk. Updated March 6, 2012. Accessed March 23,2012.
American Heart Association. Stroke and High Blood Pressure. Website. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/WhyBloodPressureMatters/Stroke-and-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301824_Article.jsp#.T0vIHXlS7Nk. Updated February 10, 2012. Accessed March 23, 2012.
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/UnderstandingRisk/Understanding-Risk_UCM_308539_SubHomePage.jsp

Time is of the Essence
Stroke can be treated, but only if patients get to the right hospital within hours of first having symptoms.

The longer the artery remains blocked, the more damage the brain will suffer. The sooner the clot can be removed and blood flow restored, the better the chance of saving the brain.

Immediate medical attention and quick, efficient stroke treatment is critical for ischemic stroke victims to reduce the risk of long-term disability or death.

Click here to find your nearest advanced Stroke Center that offers comprehensive treatment options.