Stroke victims in Utah usually get quick treatment
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- Ted and Ann Itchon talk about their experiences in an undated photo. Ted had a stroke last January that could have resulted in severe complications if it weren’t for the fast treatment he received.
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- Dr. Paul Johnson, Intermountain Health stroke neurologist and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Intermountain Medical Center, talks about stroke care in an undated photo.
Utah leads the nation when it comes to administering the fastest care to people suffering from stroke.
According to the American Heart Association’s “Get With The Guidelines” database, 94.5% of patients at Intermountain Health stroke centers receive life-saving clot-busting medication within 45 minutes of their arrival to the hospital.
The hospitals, which include Intermountain McKay-Dee, Intermountain Medical Center, St. George Hospital and Utah Valley Hospital were among the state stroke centers meeting the AHA target of door-to-needle time, 45 minutes or less, for 87.1% of stroke patients.
“We work very hard to treat patients as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Paul Johnson, Intermountain Health stroke neurologist and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. “In the medical world, we often say, ‘Time is Brain’ because every minute that care is delayed leads to permanent brain injury and the death of brain cells.”
Last January, Utahn Ted Itchon, said he got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and couldn’t move.
“I couldn’t move to the toilet and I kind of moved down and sat on the tub which is close to the toilet. Then I tried to get up and fell and my face hit the floor,” he said. “I guess I was there a minute or two and Ann (his wife) showed up and asked me a question. I tried to tell her what happened and I couldn’t.”
After emergency crews arrived, Ann Itchon remembers hearing them say her husband may be having a stroke.
“When I got to the hospital they told me he had a stroke and that’s when it really hit me,” she said. Talking about it is very emotional. I remember hearing him get up that night and something told me not to go back to sleep. That’s when I heard him fall.”
Upon his arrival at Intermountain Medical Center, Johnson, who was the neurologist on call that evening, sprang into action, evaluating Itchon and administering the clot busting medication tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).
“When we know a stroke patient is coming to the hospital, we send them straight to the CT scanner,” Johnson said.
Johnson said a team of medical professionals, including a pharmacist, are on site to treat the stroke once it’s confirmed.
“You have to confirm it’s a stroke before you give the medication because it comes with its own set of risks,” Johnson said. “So we have to balance safety with speed.”
A stroke occurs when a blocked artery cuts off blood supply to the brain. It can also be caused by a brain bleed. Symptoms include balance and vision problems, drooping face, numbness or drooping in one arm and an inability to speak or slurred speech. Other symptoms can include confusion, dizziness, sudden severe headache, weakness, fainting, and coma.
Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the nation and is considered a medical emergency. Risk factors include high blood pressure and cholesterol, smoking, excessive alcohol use, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.
“It’s been a long process and our protocols are continuously improving to save as much time as possible,” Johnson said. “Faster treatment of a stroke leads to better outcomes. It’s important to note that patients shouldn’t take an aspirin while waiting for emergency crews to arrive, just in case there’s bleeding in the brain.”
It’s also very helpful to know the patient’s medical history and any medication they are taking, so it’s important to have an emergency contact with that information, Johnson said.
Itchon said he feels pretty much back to normal since his stroke. Additional treatment included physical and speech therapy as well as acupuncture treatments for his foot, which was impacted by the stroke.
“I used to be a firefighter and I drove an ambulance and I saw a lot of people with strokes who have turned out to be less than what I am,” Itchon said. “If it wasn’t for Ann and her diligence of calling 911, I would probably be less than what I am now, so I thank my wife and I thank God that I had the medical team. It was fantastic that everyone reacted so quickly and caught my stroke so fast. I’m so grateful.”
