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1303 E. Herndon Ave.
Fresno, CA 93720
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Saint Agnes
Medical Center
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Each year, the Saint Agnes
Women’s Club collects dollars and
diapers for the Saint Agnes Holy
Cross Center for Women. To learn
how you can help, see page 2.
Minutes matter after a stroke
Continued from front page
Luckily, John’s wife, Joanne,
was nearby. Within minutes
the paramedics arrived to trans-
port her husband to Saint Agnes
Medical Center. The couple
would later learn that they were
in the best hands possible.
This past year, Saint Agnes
earned its certification as an
Advanced Primary Stroke Center
by The Joint Commission.
This certification means that
Saint Agnes follows evidence-
based standards and guidelines
that are shown to significantly
improve outcomes for stroke
patients. Valley residents can find
peace of mind in knowing that
they have access to exceptional
stroke care close to home.
Upon John’s arrival, the Saint
Agnes Stroke Team immediately
initiated a protocol called a “Code
Stroke,” a way to alert specialists
throughout the hospital – doctors,
nurses, and support staff – to make
room for a stroke patient to expedite
treatment. The team’s initial goal
was to determine within an hour
whether John was a candidate for
an important medication called
t-PA, or tissue plasminogen activator.
T-PA works by dissolving the clot
to restore blood flow back to the
brain. Tests confirmed John’s stroke,
prompting specialists to begin t-PA
treatment.
“T-PA gives stroke patients the best
chance of recovery,” neurologist Alan
Birnbaum, MD, says.
TIME IS BRAIN
While t-PA is a promising option
for stroke patients, it can only
be administered within
the first three hours after
symptoms begin. Unfor-
tunately, only 3 to 5 per-
cent of those who have
a stroke get to a hospital
in time to benefit from
t-PA treatment, according
to the American Heart
Association.
“When it comes to
stroke warning signs, one
of the biggest miscon-
ceptions is assuming that
you can just sleep it off
and thinking you’ll be
better in the morning,”
Dr. Birnbaum says. “Time
is brain, and the sooner
you treat a stroke, the
better off you’ll be.”
Statistics show that stroke is the
fourth leading cause of death in
the United States, affecting nearly
800,000 Americans each year.
Free health assessment
Take a free health risk assessment for stroke and other
health conditions by visiting www.samc.com > Healthy
Living > Health Information > Health Risk Assessments.
Or scan this code with your smartphone, and you’ll be
connected directly to our assessments.
SPREADING THE WORD
To raise awareness and educate
the public about early warning
signs, Saint Agnes has joined other
area hospitals in being part of the
Fresno Area Stroke Task Force
(FAST Force).
“We want people to know that if
they experience stroke symptoms,
they need to get to an emergency
department as quickly as possible by
calling 9-1-1,” Dr. Birnbaum says.
Once again, being a man of action
proved extremely beneficial to John.
Just a few hours after receiving t-PA
treatment, he was moving his right
leg without pain. And within a day,
he was able to return home. Now,
back to work at his family-run car
dealership, John is also remember-
ing to take one day at a time.
“I just have to thank God for the
blessings He’s given me,” John
says. “And I’m learning it’s OK to
slow down a bit.”
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