Until recently, many believed that stroke represented a sentence of death or lifelong disability. Medical advances - such as the clot-busting drug thrombolysis - have helped to make stroke one of the most preventable and treatable of all diseases.
But the more time that passes after a stroke the more brain cells die.
Calling an ambulance and getting straight to hospital can make all the difference for stroke survivors.
Learn about how you can reduce your risk of stroke.
What happens when a stroke patient gets to hospital quickly?
Quick treatment for stroke patients can save lives and reduce the disability a person might have after their stroke. By acting F.A.S.T. you can increase a stroke survivor’s ability to return to their normal life.
Some strokes which involve a blockage or blood clot can be treated by thrombolysis. This is a clot reducing drug treatment that aims to dissolve the blood clot with powerful blood thinners. It can have a powerful impact in preventing damage to brain cells caused by stroke. But there is a short time window of a few hours in which patients suitable for thrombolysis can receive it.
For all stroke patients, whether they are suitable for thrombolysis or not, receiving emergency medical care improves their chances of making the best recovery possible.
