Stroke
A stroke is a medical emergency where blood flow to the brain is either reduced or stopped, depriving brain tissue of essential oxygen and nutrients. A stroke may cause loss in brain function and affect movement and speech.
Stroke centers in the Greater Charleston area
At Trident Health’s two acute care hospitals and four freestanding emergency rooms (ERs), we provide a wide range of stroke-related procedures and care.
As stroke care continues to advance, we have focused on process development and optimization. We also prioritize safety and high-quality clinical measures consistent with standards of advanced stroke practices and care.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Trident Medical Center is a nationally recognized advanced Stroke Center. The hospital was awarded DNV Primary Plus Stroke Designation after a vigorous onsite review that involved a team of reviewers who evaluated compliance with advanced stroke standards spanning several areas throughout the hospital. Trident Medical Center obtained this accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with performance standards and advanced evidence-based care, including thrombectomy, neurosurgery and neurosurgical critical care services.
This designation represents Trident’s organizational alignment of culture and infrastructure to support evidence-based practice, rapid access to thrombectomy and/or neurosurgical intervention, and specialized neurosurgical critical care.
Additionally, Summerville Medical Center continues to maintain its Primary Stroke Center designation with the DNV. Summerville Medical Center demonstrates the capability to provide standard stroke care as well as treat patients with acute stroke emergencies requiring IV thrombolytic. Furthermore, via our current tele-stroke and neurology services, Summerville Medical Center has the capability to screen potential candidates for large-vessel occlusion via CTA and CT perfusion studies. If LVO intervention is indicated, patients can be transferred to Trident for thrombectomy services or remain at the existing facility if no intervention is necessary.
We are extremely excited to be offering these high-acuity services to our community.
Recognition
We are recognized for successful outcomes in the use of thrombectomy and the latest advances in diagnosing and treating stroke.
Trident Medical Center’s 2022 outcomes are better than the Get with the Guidelines National Average in achieving a 2b or 3 grade, post reperfusion thrombolysis in cerebral infarctions. Meeting this clinical indicator results in better clinical outcomes for patients after intervention for stroke with a large vessel occlusion (updated 11/2023).
Stroke risk factors
There are two types of stroke risk factors: one type you can't control, the other you can.
Factors you can't control:
- Age — The older you are, the higher your risk
- Gender — Men are more likely to have a stroke.
- Ethnic background — Being African American or South Asian American makes you a stroke candidate.
- Family history — Someone in your family has had a stroke
These factors can increase your chances of stroke:
- High blood pressure levels
- History of atrial fibrillation
- Smoking
- Excessive drinking
- High cholesterol levels
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Diet high in sodium and saturated or trans-fat
- History of circulation problems
How to recognize signs and symptoms of a stroke
Knowing the signs and symptoms of a stroke can help save lives. Early action of emergent treatments can minimize brain damage and potential complications. Call 911 if you or a loved one are experiencing any stoke signs or symptoms.
To remember the warning signs of a stroke, think BE FAST. It's an acronym created by the American Stroke Association. The faster someone with stroke symptoms gets medical help, the better.
BE FAST stands for:
- B – Balance (sudden loss of balance)
- E – Eyes (Loss of vision in one of both eyes)
- F – Face drooping (Look for an uneven smile)
- A – Arm weakness (Check if one arm or leg is weak)
- S – Speech difficulty (Listen for slurred speech or difficulty speaking or communicating)
- T – Time (If the person shows any of these symptoms call 911 immediately. Time is important. Brain cells are dying.
If you believe someone is experiencing a stroke call 911 immediately.
Types of stroke we treat
What is a stroke?
Strokes are considered a medical emergency. These are the two main types:
- Hemorrhagic stroke — This is a stroke caused by either a ruptured blood vessel or weakened blood vessel leaking in the brain. Blood spills into or around the brain and creates swelling and pressure, damaging cells and tissue in the brain, which can cause life-altering damage and even death.
- Ischemic stroke — This is a stroke that happens when blood flow to parts of the brain is blocked by a narrowed blood vessel, damaging cells and tissue in the brain. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for this type of stroke.
Our specialized stroke treatments and services
“Code Stroke” well-established and highly integrated process for response, diagnosis and treatment of stroke. It links local first responders, outlying community hospitals, and all HCA South Carolina hospitals. With this system our care for you begins before you even get to the hospital and improves care for you during your time with us.
Mechanical thrombectomy
Mechanical thrombectomy is a minimally invasive procedure removing a blood clot from a blood vessel, usually an artery in the brain. It is done by making a small incision in the groin and using a catheter with a tiny device to grab the clot and extract it. It is an emergency procedure that can help prevent a stroke.
Telemedicine services for stroke
Telemedicine increases the quality and convenience of healthcare services. It can help provide patients with better, faster and more specialized care. It allows doctors to provide more convenient, real-time neurological assessments of patients and improve communications with other medical staff from almost any device, such as a computer, laptop or tablet.
Our expert doctors use on-site examinations and telemedicine capabilities to quickly access a neurologist. The patient can see and interact with the neurologist and view scans and reports of their tests, which can also be shared with a specialist. The neurologist can view head scans, prior reports and records in order to make an informed decision about care.
Rapid administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is critical for acute ischemic stroke. tPA is a clot-busting drug for blockages in the arteries in the brain. The sooner it is given, the more brain tissue is preserved. Telemedicine leads to faster administration of tPA, which can lead to improved outcomes in as little as six months. It is more convenient for the patient, as he or she can receive specialized care faster.
Inpatient stroke care
After stroke treatment, we will transition you to either a Neuroscience Intensive Care room within our neuroscience ICU or our neuroscience care unit for recovery and further evaluation.
In these units, you’ll benefit from the latest inpatient monitoring technology, which means faster response, more effective care and a quieter environment for recovery.
Our neurologists work with experts from emergency medicine, intensive care, internal medicine and physiatry (physical and occupational therapy) to form a comprehensive treatment plan for you.
Physical therapy and rehabilitation
Trident Medical Center’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit and Outpatient Rehabilitation are your partners in your road to recovery. They will work with you one-on-one to regain function, skills and independence in the affected areas of your body through neurological rehabilitation.
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