Take fast action on stroke symptoms

Paul Geraghty had just started a 9 a.m. meeting when he realized he was having trouble reading the printout he had prepared. "At first, I thought it was a problem with my printer because the words seemed blurry," he recalls. "But after about five minutes of struggling, someone in the room said, 'I think he's having a stroke."

Paul was certain he was just tired and needed to rest for a moment. But his friend was also in the meeting that morning, and he insisted on taking Paul to Bryn Mawr Hospital, part of Main Line Health.

"My colleague put me in his car and drove me to the emergency department. I walked into the hospital at 9:30 and told them I might be having stoke," says Paul. "The front desk person asked me two questions and called for a nurse to take me back.

Acting fast with treatment

They immediately put me on a gurney and wheeled me to a room. By 9:45, I had a big IV in my arm and had a scan within 15 minutes of that. It all happened so quickly and seamlessly - the Bryn Mawr Hospital staff was just lightning fast."

Ravichandra Madineni, MD, Chief of Neurosurgery at Main Line Health-Jefferson Neurosurgery at Bryn Mawr Hospital, treated Paul that fateful morning.

"We did a CT scan and saw that he had bleeding in the brain, called a hemorrhagic stroke," says Dr. Madineni. "Thankfully, he didn't need surgery, but we continued to monitor him with CT scans to make sure the bleeding didn't expand."

After three days in the hospital, Paul went home feeling thankful. From the time he walked through the doors to the time he was discharged, he says he was impressed by the level of care he received from every staff member he encountered.

"The medical team that morning did everything to arrest the stroke and take care of me. And the care I got from the nursing staff was spectacular. They were all just outstanding."

Know the signs of stroke

Paul credits the fast response of his colleagues and the staff at Bryn Mawr Hospital for saving him from disability, and he is thankful he has no motor or cognitive damage from the stroke.

Dr. Madineni says to seek immediate medical attention if you notice any signs or symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to fluctuate or disappear. Think

"B.E. F.A.S.T." and watch for the following:

• Balance. Is the person experiencing sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination?
• Eyes. Is the person experiencing sudden blurred, decreased or double vision in one or both eyes?
• Face. Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• Arms. Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Or is one arm unable to raise up?
• Speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
• Time. If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately. The sooner stroke is diagnosed, the more effectively it can be treated.

"If you notice these symptoms, even in the middle of the night, it's best to be evaluated right away," says Dr. Madineni. "The sooner you seek treatment, the more likely we can prevent any lasting disability."

Next steps:

Make an appointment with Ravichandra Madineni, MD
Learn about stroke care at Main Line Health
Can you have a stroke at a young age?