Stroke Care

Make Lawrence General's Emergency Center part of your stroke emergency plan. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you are showing symptoms of stroke.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States. It is a serious compromise of circulation to the brain, either the blockage or rupture of a vessel. When someone is having a stroke, quick emergency treatment is critical to preventing permanent disability.

Conditions that put a person at higher risk for stroke include high blood pressure, diabetes, previous history of heart and vascular disease, and obesity.

Telestroke Program Connects Patients to Specialists in Real-Time

When patients in the Merrimack Valley are suffering stroke-like symptoms, clinical staff at Lawrence General now have direct access to neurologists in Boston to help make a diagnosis thanks to its telestroke program.

The service employs Skype-like image-sharing technology and video conferencing that enables clinical staff to rapidly assess patients in real time to assure that they receive the most appropriate therapy in the most appropriate location. The program is intended to improve stroke-related care and outcomes, with a strong emphasis on keeping suitable patients local and close to home.

This new telestroke service augments the neurological consultations that are also provided locally by New England Neurological Associates, adding extra strength and bandwidth to an already exceptional program.

Signs of Stroke

Keep F A S T in mind:

• Facial drooping: A section of the face, usually only on one side, that is drooping and hard to move.
• Arm weakness: The inability to raise one's arm fully.
• Speech difficulties: An inability or difficulty to understand or produce speech.
• Time: If any of the symptoms above are showing, time is of the essence; call emergency services or go to the hospital. 

STROKE FACT SHEETS (English and Spanish) 

¿Es un ataque cerebral?

VIDEO: Act F.A.S.T. at the First Sign of Stroke

VIDEO: Concienciación de ataque cerebral