HJAR Jul/Aug 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JUL / AUG 2020 45 Ali Krisht, MD, FACS Director Arkansas Neuroscience Institute at CHI St. Vincent The Danger of Delaying Care During a Pandemic We cannot give patients that opportunity if they delay care or avoid the hospital. Strokes did not take a hiatus during the pandemic. In fact, we have increasingly encountered more severe cases throughout the past months for the simple fact that patients avoided coming to the hospital in time to receive optimal care. Although hospitals temporarily paused elective procedures during the start of the pandemic, emergency care never stopped. To minimize the possibility of exposure to COVID-19, hospitals have enacted a string of precautions to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare staff alike. Those precautions include things like universal masking for staff and patients, limited visitation policies, and even limiting the number of people in com- mon areas to allow for social distancing. If a patient suffers a stroke, the greatest threat to them at that moment is not receiv- ing care at all. The goal with each and every stroke patient is that they can wake up with absolutely zero functional deficits whatso- ever. This is absolutely possible today, but only if patients receive care in time. Don’t allow a loved one to talk themselves out of receiving care when it is clear they have suf- fered a stroke. Recognizing a Stroke and Knowing When to Seek Care Understanding the time sensitivity in- volved in stroke care also means recogniz- ing when we, or someone we love, has suf- fered a stroke. Common symptoms or signs of a stroke include numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, problems seeing in one or both eyes, and trouble walking are all also common symptoms. Patients may even sometimes describe having the worst head- ache in their life strike them like a clap of thunder. Once you recognize those signs, it is time to get to the emergency room imme- diately. Don’t wait until the morning to see if things get better. Remember, Time = Brain, and the clock is ticking. Arkansas already has one of the worst mortality rates for stroke in the nation, but we have the resources, facilities, technology, knowledge and compassionate healthcare professionals who have shown time and time again that they can save lives. We cannot do it on our own, though. If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke or other traumatic injury, make sure they get the care they need now. Do not delay. n