Treatments

At WakeMed, our Joint Commission-certified Thrombectomy-Capable Center team demonstrates skill and expertise, using the latest tools to reduce the length of stay and mortality in cases of stroke.

Thanks to dramatic advances in technology and the way strokes are treated, more Americans are surviving strokes and experiencing fewer permanent side effects than ever before.

Treatment Options

Once at the hospital, the patient will need to have blood tests as well as a computed tomography (CT) scan to determine if and where a clot exists.

These treatments include:

• Thrombolytics (clot busting medication)/Thrombectomy (clot retrieval procedure)
• Angioplasty & Stenting
• Hemorrhagic Stroke Care (brain bleed)
  • Blood pressure control and blood thinner reversal 
    • These measures are taken immediately upon identification of a brain bleed to attempt prevention of increased bleeding.
• Aneurysm Coiling/Clipping
• Primary and Secondary Prevention
  • Depending on your health history and brain imaging results, you may be prescribed medications to prevent a future stroke. If you are prescribed these medications, it is critical to fill the prescriptions and take them as ordered to reduce your risk of stroke.
  • Here are example medications:
    • Anticoagulants (blood thinners)
    • Antiplatelets 
    • Statins
    • Antihypertensives (Blood Pressure medications)
       
• Stroke Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Rehabilitation
• Stroke Quality Metrics

This chart shows the percentage of patients that arrive within two hours of their “last known well” and receive the clot busting medication within three hours of their last known well. The “Last Known Well” is a critical timeframe that the care team uses to determine stroke onset and treatment eligibility, as the clot busting medication can only be used within 4.5 hours of stroke onset. 

This chart shows the percentage of ischemic stroke patients who meet criteria for clot retrieval or thrombectomy and are accepted for the procedure at WakeMed. WakeMed consistently meets 100 percent for this metric, indicating that our care teams are keyed in to recognizing signs of a large ischemic stroke, identifying criteria for this procedure and getting patients to the neurointerventionalist and Cath Lab team!

Telestroke

In addition to these treatments, WakeMed offers an innovative Telestroke program to support stroke patients at hospitals with less medical access, thereby making them stroke capable. The program is a form of telemedicine, providing patients with enhanced in-house stroke care and 24-hour access to stroke neurologists.

Using Telestroke system carts and a two-way live video, audio and image sharing system, consulting stroke neurologists can evaluate a remote patient in real time to diagnose a stroke and determine the best course of action. Patients also receive streamlined access to WakeMed for advanced and post-stroke care.  

If you think you or someone you’re with is having a stroke, call 911 and get to your closest emergency department. The faster the treatment, the better the chances for a full recovery and return to normal life.