Quiz: How to Handle a Stroke

Doctors need to know when the patient was last seen normal because many stroke treatments depend on time. This “last known well” time helps determine whether treatments like clot-busting drugs or procedures are safe and effective.

Driving yourself can cause delays due to traffic, parking and communication issues upon arrival. Emergency medical personnel are trained to assist stroke patients, use sirens to bypass traffic and ensure patients are taken directly to facilities with the appropriate expertise and technology.

For ischemic strokes caused by clots, the main drug treatment is tPA, which dissolves clots. It must be given within 4½ hours of stroke onset, and ideally within 90 minutes, to maximize the chance of minimal long-term symptoms.

For some patients — especially those with large vessel blockages — doctors can thread tiny catheters into the brain to remove clots using suction or metal mesh devices called stentrievers. This treatment can be effective up to 24 hours after stroke onset and is standard care in stroke centers.