May 25, 2023
(LONDON, Ontario) – When it comes to treating a stroke, every second counts. Most strokes are caused by blockages that stop blood flow to parts of the brain. From the millisecond a blockage manifests, those parts of the brain are deprived of vital oxygen and brain cells immediately start to die. Time is brain.
“The fact is that about two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke,” explains Dr. Jennifer Mandzia, the Medical Director of Southwestern Ontario Stroke Network (SWOSN) and a Stroke Neurologist at London Health Sciences Centre. “That’s why the effectiveness of stroke treatment strongly depends on patients accessing appropriate care as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms. Stroke is a medical emergency that requires timely access to care and treatment at a designated stroke centre.”
SWOSN encourages everyone to learn the signs and symptoms of stroke and do what you can to reduce their stroke risk. In a new campaign running throughout the region, SWOSN is airing a public message that urges people experiencing symptoms of stroke and those around them to call 9-1-1 at the first sign of a stroke. Stroke symptoms include drooping face, inability to raise the arms and speech problems, as well as sudden weakness or numbness on one side and/or a sudden loss of balance or coordination.
“Many people understand the signs and symptoms of a stroke but continue to drive to hospital, as they feel they may arrive sooner. But we’re telling them not to attempt to drive or to be driven to the hospital. Timely access to a Designated Stroke Centre is best achieved by calling 9-1-1 and arriving by ambulance,” urges Sandy Steinwender, Regional Prevention Coordinator of the SWOSN.
“The challenge is that within our stroke system only eight hospitals provide hyper-acute stroke care, so many decisions to self-drive result in stroke survivors arriving at a non-stroke centre, which ultimately delays treatment and access to best practice care. Call 9-1-1 immediately as soon as symptoms appear,” Steinwender said. “Don’t wait. Paramedics are trained to begin treatment in the ambulance on the way to hospital.”
In the Southwest region, paramedics immediately determine which of the eight acute stroke centres is the most appropriate to take the patient to. Stroke centres are located throughout the region, and specialized staff and medical equipment are on hand to act quickly.
A call from the paramedic activates the hospital’s stroke team, which is ready and waiting in the emergency department. If doctors see a patient as soon as possible, they can administer a clot-busting medication up 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms. In some stroke centres, if the blood clot is reachable in larger vessels in the brain, doctors can perform a minimally invasive procedure to remove the blockage.
“We compare our emergency stroke protocol with the transitions at an Ironman Race – one more second could make the difference between coming in first or third or last,” Dr. Mandzia adds. “It’s the same for strokes: each second or minute we delay can make a difference between a patient being able to recover or being disabled for life.”
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About the Southwestern Ontario Stroke Network
Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in Canada, and the third leading cause of death. Of those who have a stroke 25% make a full recovery, 60% are left with some form of disability, and 15% die. Not only are these strokes devastating for the individuals who experience them, but they have tremendous impact on family, the community, and the health care system.
One of 11 Stroke Networks in the Province, the Southwestern Ontario Stroke Network (SWOSN) is comprised of a team of stroke experts who work with partner organizations to decrease the incidence of stroke and improve patient care and outcomes for people who experience stroke. Based out of the Regional Stroke Centre at University Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre in London Ontario, SWOSN has a large rural geography which spans 10 counties with a population of 1.8 million people. Access to best practice stroke care, stroke outcomes and community reintegration have improved significantly in Southwestern Ontario because of strong partnerships across the stroke care continuum, from Primary Care to Hospitals to Community Organizations and Long-Term Care Homes. Within these organizations are teams of dedicated health care leaders and providers who are working together to improve the stroke journey and the patient and family experience.
Visit the SWOSN website www.swostroke.ca
Steve Robinson
Senior Media Relations Consultant
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500 ext. 35947
media@lhsc.on.ca
