A stroke occurs when an artery in the brain is blocked or ruptured, leading to the death of an area of brain tissue due to loss of perfusion (cerebral infarction). Stroke symptoms occur and accelerate suddenly, as they require rapid intervention and professional medical treatment to treat them.
Globally, stroke is the second most common reason for death, especially among the elderly who are aged more than 65. Moreover, it occurs in women more frequently than men, with 60% of deaths in women.
FAST Symptoms
FAST (Face, Arms, Speech and Time to get) is a common terminology for the stroke’s symptoms, through which the patient might get diagnosed to get the required treatment.
- Face: drooping or numbness of part of the face and a feeling of weakness on one side.
- Arms: General weakness, or their imbalance and hanging down one when raising them.
- Speaking: Stuttering while speaking, where the patient finds sudden difficulty in speaking, pronouncing words and understanding the words of others.
- Time to call for help: Call 911, and take the patient to the hospital immediately if any of the above symptoms are present.
Other symptoms include a sudden loss of sensation on one side of the body, and blurred or loss of vision, especially in one eye. In addition to vomiting and nausea, loss of consciousness (temporary or permanent) or sudden severe headache.
Al Khalidi Stroke Program
Al Khalidi Hospital’s program is the first of its kind in the medical sector in Jordan and was launched in 2010. His vision was to ensure the implementation of international standards in treating this critical condition and to limit the aggravation of complications. The program also succeeded in saving the lives of many patients and performing various operations on them at a rate of 92%.
The program includes teams of specialists, resident doctors, and nurses specialized in caring for various critical cases. The ICU also contains a private pharmacy, which deals with critical cases and provides treatment as quickly and effectively as possible, ensuring the best health care.
30 Minutes Make a Difference
What distinguishes Al-Khalidi Hospital is its high professionalism in dealing with stroke cases, which takes place within 30 minutes of rapid response and procedures. In addition to the presence of neurologists, neurosurgery and interventional radiology specialists to help diagnose a stroke, as well as its preparations to call other specialists to deal with critical cases.
1. Diagnosing the stroke by the doctor according to symptoms (FAST).
2.Conduct the necessary tests
- Evaluate the patient’s general condition
- Vital Signs
- Laboratory tests
- Monitor heart condition
3. Conducting examinations using computed tomography (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
4. Admitting the patient to the intensive care unit (ICU).
5. Transfer the patient to his room to monitor his condition.
