A stroke can happen any time. Our ER is prepared all the time.
Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville has partnered with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to provide life-saving emergency care for stroke patients in the region.
Called Arkansas SAVES (Stroke Assistance through Virtual Emergency Support), the program uses a high-speed video communications system to help provide immediate, life-saving treatments to stroke patients 24 hours a day. The real-time video communication enables a stroke neurologist to evaluate whether emergency room physicians should use a powerful clot busting drug within the critical 4.5-hour period following the first signs of stroke.
The SAVES program is a partnership between the UAMS Center for Distance Health, the state Department of Human Services, Sparks Regional Health System in Fort Smith, Northwest Medical Center and 19 other Arkansas hospitals. For more informationl, visit http://www.uams.edu/saves/.
Stroke, also called brain attack, occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. Disruption in blood flow is caused when either a blood clot blocks one of the vital blood vessels in the brain (ischemic stroke), or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into surrounding tissues (hemorrhagic stroke).
Stroke: What You Need To Know
Stroke, also called brain attack, occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. It is the third largest cause of death, ranking behind diseases of the heart and all forms of cancer. Almost 80 percent of strokes are preventable. According to the National Stroke Association (NSA), it is important to learn the three R's of stroke:
- Reduce the risk.
- Recognize the symptoms.
- Respond by calling 911 (or your local ambulance service).
Symptoms of Stroke
While there are common signs and symptoms of stroke, each individual may experience them differently. If you think you may be experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Signs and symptoms of stroke may include:
- Sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis in an arm, leg or side of the body.
- Sudden onset of confusion or difficulty speaking.
- Sudden vision loss in one or both eyes.
- Sudden facial weakness, crooked smile or trouble speaking.
- Sudden onset of dizziness or imbalance.
- Sudden onset of a severe headache.
Visit our health resource library to learn more about the different types of strokes and how you can recognize the warning signs.
Risk Factors of Stroke
Know Your Risk Factors
There are steps that you can take to reduce the risk of a stroke. Know your risk factors, including the ones that you may be able to manage. Risk factors of stroke include:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Family history of stroke
- Heart disease
Take our stroke quiz to see how much you know!
Health Demos
Stroke Treatment
Once a stroke occurs, what treatment is used? Treatment options vary based on the type, severity, and location of the stroke. Become more aware of these options and the importance of early, life-saving treatment
Launch Animation
Stroke: Causes
Have you every wondered what causes a stroke? Your experience may reflect that it occurs suddenly, without warning. Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. View the animation and learn how and why strokes occur and more importantly, warning signs that can save a life.
Launch Animation
Stroke Health Tips
- Diabetes and High Blood Pressure - Having diabetes as well as high blood pressure dramatically increases the risk for having a silent stroke, according to the American Stroke Association. This, in turn, can increase the risk for having a regular stroke. People with high blood pressure and diabetes need to control these chronic conditions to reduce their future stroke risk.
- Fruits, Vegetables Protect Against Stroke - Eating fruits and green or yellow vegetables daily may protect against stroke. A 48-year study of 120,321 people found almost-daily consumption of green and yellow vegetables reduced the risk for death from stroke by 26 percent in both men and women, compared with those who ate no vegetables more than once a week. Almost-daily fruit intake reduced the risk by 35 percent in men and 25 percent in women. The study was published in 2003 in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
- Potassium and Stroke - Eating foods that contain potassium could reduce your risk for stroke. One study in the journal Stroke found that people who consumed fewer than 2,300 mg of potassium per day had a 50 percent higher stroke risk than those who consumed more than 4,100 mg. Good sources of potassium include baked potatoes with skin, plain yogurt, cantaloupes and honeydew melons, halibut and tuna steaks, grapefruit, orange or prune juice, bananas and molasses.
- Smoking Boosts Stroke Risk - Men who smoke increase their risk for bleeding stroke every time they light up, says the American Stroke Association. An 18-year study of more than 20,000 men found that those who smoke more than a pack of cigarettes a day double their stroke risk compared with people who have never smoked or those who've kicked their habits.
- Stress and Stroke Risk - People who say they are highly stressed have double the risk for fatal stroke as people who say they are stress-free, according to the American Stroke Association. Researchers believe this may be the case because stressed people tend to have more cardiovascular risk factors, including smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, higher alcohol consumption and high blood pressure.
Resources
Stroke Articles
Strokes and Heart Attacks: What's the Difference?
For Young Women, What's Your Stroke Risk?
Six Symptoms You Should Never Ignore
Stopping Blood Pressure Drugs Risks a Stroke
Events
Check our community calendar and RSVP for upcoming events such as cardiac and stroke screenings and other health screenings.