For me one of the worst calls I can go on is a stroke, almost instantly a normal person can become severely disabled. Stroke is the leading cause of disability in The U.S. In the old days we would take the patient to the hospital and they would get better or they would not get better, there was no urgency to the call, take care of the ABCs and transport.
Things are different now with the stroke team approach and the use of TPA many stroke patients can be helped. These treatments show great promise but cannot be imitated if the patient is not treated within three hours, the clock for treatment starts clicking at the onset of symptoms making it difficult to get patients the appropriate facility in time. I think the training on the EMS side is getting better and EMS crews are approaching strokes with a sense of urgency. The patients however are not calling for help in a timely manner. Sixty nine percent of stroke victims do not reach the hospital within three hours forty six percent do not reach the hospital in less than six hours and forty four percent do not present to the hospital for twelve hours or more. So in spite of promising new therapies few patients are receiving it due to people not seeking medical care. People may not call for help because they are in denial or they believe nothing can be done if they have a stroke.
As EMS providers we are doing a good job of educating ourselves about stroke but we are doing a terrible job of educating the public. What good are these modern treatments if our patients are not calling for help? I believe it is our job to get out there and educate the public about the signs and symptoms of stroke, so get out there and spread the word!
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