Vital to call 911 at first symptoms of stroke East Bay system
aims at care in critical first 4 hours If someone suddenly loses
the ability to speak, move body parts or has trouble seeing,
call 911. These are the first symptoms of a stroke and it's
imperative that a person receive immediate medical attention,
said Sarah Kiyoi, Stroke Coordinator at San Ramon Regional
Medical Center. Every minute counts when someone is having a
stroke, yet the average stroke patient waits more than 12 hours
before going to an emergency room and many wait much longer,
sometimes an entire day, she said. An expanded Stroke System to
reduce brain damage launched Jan. 9 in Contra Costa to join
Alameda County to provide a coordinated 911 emergency response.
It identifies stroke victims en route to stroke-certified
hospitals to treat them within the critical four-hour window.
"It's really, really exciting because stroke has kind of ended
up taking second fiddle to heart disease. People don't know
there are things you can do to turn a