For a long time, the misconception has been that once a person has a stroke, little could be done to improve their chances of recovery. But now, stroke specialists can administer the drug TPA, which dissolves blood clots. Since many strokes are caused by a blood clot in the carotid artery of the brain, TPA can reduce the damage. However, the drug works best when given within three hours of the onset of symptoms. That makes it imperative to get to the emergency department as soon as possible.

Everyone needs to realize that strokes are an emergency. This is the major initiative regarding stroke awareness within Moses Cone Health System. A stroke team coordinates a comprehensive, state-of-the-art program identifying stroke patients quickly. This will improve their chances of recovery, shorten their hospital stay and avoid as much permanent damage as possible.

Even though we live in the Stroke Belt, where there are more strokes than anywhere else in the nation, many people don't immediately recognize the signs and symptoms of a stroke. These symptoms occur suddenly: any sudden onset of slurred speech, difficulty talking, paralysis or numbness of the arm or leg on one side of the body, facial droop, severe dizziness, severe nausea, double vision or severe headaches may indicate that someone is having a stroke. These symptoms occur suddenly.

If you see someone suddenly having these symptoms, call 911. 

For more information, review material on the Internet about strokes in our  Health Links to Internet resources.

Support Groups:

• Guilford County Stroke Support Group, The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, 1200 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. Meets the third Sunday of the month (except June, July, and August). For more information, call 832-8120.
• Guilford County Heart and Stroke Partnership, 301 N. Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. A collaborative effort among community organizations and individuals in response to a community health assessment that identified heart disease and stroke as important health issues in Guilford County. For more information, call 336-641-6091.

To contact the Moses Cone Stroke Center directly, use this  link.