Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.
Stroke Treatment
Call 911 if the person has:
Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or legs -- especially on just one side of the body
Slurred or unusual speech
Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Trouble walking, dizziness, or balance problems
Sudden confusion
Severe headache
1. Note Time When Symptoms First Appeared
Tell emergency personnel when you first noticed symptoms.
There is a medicine that may reduce long-term effects if given within three hours of the first symptom appearing.
2. Follow Up
If the person gets emergency care within the first several hours of stroke onset, the person may receive clot-busting drugs.
At the hospital, a doctor will examine the person and run tests to see if the stroke was caused by clots or from bleeding in the brain. Tests may include an MRI or a CT scan.
Treatment may include medication, lifestyle changes, and possibly surgery.
WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCES:
National Stroke Association.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: "What You Need to Know About Stroke."
Cedars-Sinai: "Stroke."
NYU Comprehensive Stroke Care Center: "Medications for Stroke."
NYU Comprehensive Stroke Care Center: "Stroke Treatment."
NYU Comprehensive Stroke Care Center: "Stroke Signs and Symptoms."