Time is Brain

For each minute that you experience a stroke in a large blood vessel to your brain, 1.9 million neurons, 14 billion synapses, and 7.5 miles of nerve fibers are destroyed. Compared with the normal rate of brain cell loss in brain aging, the stroking brain ages 3.6 years each hour without treatment.

The highest level of stroke center certification is the comprehensive stroke center (CSC). Having the Comprehensive Stroke Center at AtlantiCare at your service can make an enormous difference in how such a stroke can affect your life! While many hospitals have some ability to treat stroke, to earn Comprehensive Stroke Center designation is something special.

Comprehensive Stroke Certification serves as a notice that the organization has the capacity to provide comprehensive care for complex stroke patients. Moreover, it has the required infrastructure, such as board-certified neurologists, advanced neuro-imaging and complex neurosurgical interventions, and a dedicated Neurointensive Care Unit with nurses specifically trained in stroke care.

This certification signifies that the organization has demonstrated and is clearly committed to advancing stroke treatment through innovation and best practice - placing them amongst world leaders.

Stroke remains a leading cause of disability, death, and healthcare expense in the United States. However, stroke care is now in a stage of rapid therapeutic advancement for even the most devastating strokes.

The ability to access a Comprehensive Stroke Center with their advanced treatment options is so important that the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have proposed that Emergency Medical Service personnel who think their patient may be having a large stroke be transported directly to the nearest Comprehensive Stroke Center. AtlantiCare is that center!

So if you or a loved one begin experiencing the symptoms of a stroke, you can take comfort in the fact that you have the most advanced stroke care available in your own community here at AtlantiCare.

By: Dr. Edward Hamaty, DO, Medical Director of Neurosciences, Co-medical Director of Stroke Program, AtlantiCare

Please remember to always call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.