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| May 30, 2006 | Back to List | Print this Page  | | Palliser Launches Stroke Program | | |  When someone has a stroke, every second counts. From the moment a person exhibits the first symptoms - numbness, double vision, headache, speech deficits and coordination problems - the clock is ticking in a race against time. The more time that passes before a stroke is treated, the more damage is done to the brain.
But in many cases, with timely assessments, appropriate treatment and managed care, permanent damage and death can often be averted. With the launch of its Stroke Services program this month, in partnership with the Calgary Health Region and the Alberta Provincial Stroke Strategy (APSS), Palliser Health Region will dramatically improve response times and its capacity to treat stroke patients, says Linda Iwasiw, Senior Vice President, Health Services.
With the Stroke Services program comes the initiation of a multidisciplinary stroke team, designated stroke services units and the implementation of 24-7 Telehealth technology, linking ER physicians to neurology specialists in Calgary Foothills Hospital," says Iwasiw. "This together with prevention programs and managed care will severely reduce the rate of disability and death from stroke for residents in our region," she said at a symposium held for staff last week to launch the program.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Alberta and the fourth leading cause of death in Palliser Health Region. There are 160 stroke patients admitted to Palliser hospitals each year and an additional 140 patients are admitted with "mini strokes" (called Transient Ischemic Attack or TIA). In Palliser Health Region, between 20-25 per cent of strokes are fatal, says Dr. Sahih, head of Palliser's Stroke Program. But with new treatments now available to physicians, these numbers can change significantly, he says.
An important role for the stroke team is an aggressive treatment plan for patients with mini-strokes. Transient Ischemic Attacks are often a harbinger of a larger stroke. By recognizing and treating TIAs aggressively, larger debilitating strokes may be prevented, says Dr. Sahih. "We are very excited about the program." | | For more information, please contact: | | Sheri Wright | | Communications | | Palliser Health Region | | 403.502.8619 | | swright@pallierhealth.ca | | http://www.palliserhealth.ca |
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