On Jan. 6, NHS and UNMC will introduce the “Nebraska Stroke Center,” the first of its kind in Nebraska and surrounding areas. With 750,000 new strokes occurring each year and demanding new approaches to stroke treatment, there is an increasing necessity for stroke centers.
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The center will provide the latest medical and surgical treatments for the acute management and prevention of stroke, utilizing the expertise of a multidisciplinary stroke team and the resources available at NHS and UNMC. Patients with acute stroke will be evaluated using a well-defined, systematic and protocolized approach to maximize the benefits and lower the risk of the current treatments available. This approach will lower the disability and mortality and improve the outcome from such a devastating condition.
Elevating the level of care
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the number one cause of disability in adults. The Nebraska Stroke Center’s mission is to elevate the level of care of stroke to national standards of excellence. Among its many objectives are the following:
- Improving the acute care of stroke;
- Enhancing the recovery from stroke;
- Aggressively targeting stroke prevention; and
- Educating the community on recognizing and preventing stroke
Few people recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke, so community education regarding stroke symptoms and the need to call 911 when symptoms occur is imperative. Unlike heart attacks, patients with stroke may not have pain, a symptom that usually prompts patients to seek rapid medical attention.
A window of opportunity
T-PA (Tissue Plasminogen Activator) is the first FDA approved medication for the treatment of acute stroke and has been shown to be effective when given only within the first three hours from onset of symptoms. This is the method currently approved for the treatment of acute stroke, but the small window in which physicians can provide T-PA makes stroke a true emergency. Since T-PA increases the risks of bleeding, patients must be carefully evaluated, selected and managed in order to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits.
The Nebraska Stroke team and center were created to organize the treatment of acute stroke, make it more effective, and make it available to the largest possible number of eligible patients.
Since the best treatment for stroke is to avoid one, the UMA Neurology Clinic will provide comprehensive evaluations of patients at-risk for stroke, including the latest medical and surgical treatments to decrease such risk.
For more information
For more information about the Nebraska Stroke Center call Vici Sortino at (402) 559-6264.