Time Matters When You’re Having a Stroke
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds. Georgia is in the “Stroke Belt,” an area in the Southeastern United States where stroke deaths are approximately 30 percent higher than the rest of the country. Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes.
The CDC reports that 1 in 3 U.S. adults has at least one of these conditions or risk factors.
“About 80 percent of strokes can be prevented by lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, controlling high blood pressure and managing diabetes and cholesterol,” said Atrium Health Navicent Neurology and Stroke Director Dr. Matthew Smith. “If you are having a stroke, getting timely treatment such as clot-busting medication is incredibly important. Call 911 immediately if you suspect you may be having stroke symptoms, and don’t delay treatment.”
The acronym B.E.F.A.S.T. was developed to help recognize stroke symptoms and help seek faster treatment:
• B – Balance loss (Is the person suddenly having trouble with balance or coordination?)
• E – Eyesight changes (Is the person having sudden blurred or double vision in one or both eyes?)
• F – Facial weakness (Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?)
• A – Arm or leg weakness (Can the person raise both arms?)
• S – Speech difficulty (Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say?)
• T – Time to act (Seek medical attention immediately!)
Atrium Health Navicent also invites the community to participate in a 10-day Stroke Wellness Challenge between May 12 and May 21 to learn more about how to prevent a stroke, recognize the signs of a stroke, and how to live a heathier lifestyle.
In addition to being recognized as a “high performing” stroke center by U.S. News & World Report, Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is a 14-time recipient of the “Get with the Guidelines – Stroke Gold Plus” Quality Achievement Award, an annual award presented by the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association for excellence instroke care. Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin has achieved the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® -Stroke Silver award. The health system earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period.
Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center also is a certified Primary Stroke Center and Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin has been designated as a Remote Stroke Center by the Georgia Department of Public Health.
To find a doctor, visit www.NavicentHealth.org and click “Find A Doctor.”
About Atrium Health Navicent
Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of health care in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and wellbeing through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent is part of Advocate Health, which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 130-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Advocate Health is nationally recognized for its expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs more than 160,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to redefining care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.