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About Our Certified Stroke Center
McLaren Oakland physicians and nurses who care for stroke patients have gone through a rigorous education process to better serve patients who come to our hospital with stroke signs and symptoms. To become a certified primary stroke center, the team at McLaren Oakland had to meet strict national standards. We are proud to say we have met or exceeded those expectations and we continually monitor our processes and outcomes to ensure that each patient receives the best care for maximal recovery.
Members of our stroke center include the ER physicians and nurses, stroke unit nurses, physical/occupational and speech therapists and the neurologist, in addition other health care professionals at McLaren Oakland. In addition to providing the highest level of care for stroke patients, we provide support and education for family members.
Remember, if you think you or someone you know is experiencing stroke, get immediate help. Call 911. A “brain attack” needs to be treated like a heart attack, do not wait. The sooner medical help is received, the better the chance for recovery.
Stroke symptoms
If you or someone you know experiences any of the symptoms below, seek medical help immediately:
- Sudden numbness of the face, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden numbness or weakness arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden difficulty walking, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Types of stroke
- Ischemic stroke: This is the most common type of stroke—more than 85% of strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke results from a clot or obstruction in a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain.
- Hemorrhagic stroke: A hemorrhagic stroke, sometimes called a “brain bleed”, happens when a weakened blood vessel ruptures in the brain. This is most often the result of uncontrolled high blood pressure.
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA): A transient ischemic attack, also known as a “mini stroke”, is caused by a temporary clot or obstruction in a blood vessel in the brain. TIAs have stroke-like symptoms, and can often be the first sign that a more serious stroke episode may occur.
How common is stroke?
Thousands of Americans suffer a stroke each year. Consider these facts from the American Stroke Association:
- About 795,000 Americans each year suffer a new or recurrent stroke. That means, on average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds.
- Stroke kills more than 137,000 people a year. That's about 1 of every 18 deaths. It's the No. 4 cause of death.
- On average, every 4 minutes someone dies of stroke.
- About 40 percent of stroke deaths occur in males, and 60 percent in females.
- The 2006 stroke death rates per 100,000 population for specific groups were 41.7 for white males, 41.1 for white females, 67.7 for black males and 57.0 for black females.
- Americans will pay about $73.7 billion in 2010 for stroke-related medical costs and disability.
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