Search Results for: stroke recovery treatments 2013

Public release date: 13-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: George Stamatis george.stamatis@uhhospitals.org 216-844-3667 University Hospitals Case Medical Center University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center has become the first hospital in Northeast Ohio and 19th in the nation to achieve The Joint Commission's standards for Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification, joining an elite group of providers focused on complex stroke care. Comprehensive stroke centers are recognized as industry leaders and are responsible for setting the national agenda in all aspects of stroke care and prevention. The recognition comes from The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care, and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification recognizes those hospitals that have state-of-the-art infrastructure, staff and training to receive and treat patients with the most complex strokes. UH Case Medical Center underwent a rigorous onsite review in November. Joint Commission experts reviewed UH Case Medical Center's compliance with the Comprehensive Stroke Center standards and requirements including advanced imaging capabilities, 24/7 availability of specialized treatments, and staff with the unique education and competencies to care for complex stroke patients. "By achieving this advanced certification, University Hospitals Case Medical Center has thoroughly demonstrated the … Continue reading →

Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter Posted: Friday, February 1, 2013, 10:16 AM THURSDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- New guidelines on stroke care stress that getting clot-busting drugs and other treatments within one hour of arriving in the emergency room is crucial to minimizing brain damage and speeding recovery. "We have incorporated a lot of learning and experience in the past five years in developing stroke systems of care," said guideline author Dr. Edward Jauch, director of the division of emergency medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston. "It's not just a single person managing a stroke that makes a difference. It's creating a process that involves patients, people around patients, pre-hospital care and hospitals," he said. "When all these pieces are in place, the patient has the best chance for having a good outcome." The new guidelines, from the American Stroke Association, were published online Jan. 31 and will appear in the March print issue of the journal Stroke. The most common type of stroke, called an ischemic stroke, is caused by a blood clot in an artery in the brain. Ischemic strokes account for 90 percent of all strokes. Once doctors determine that a patient is … Continue reading →

Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City is one of only 15 nationwide medical centers to earn The Joint Commission's Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers Oklahoma City, OK (PRWEB) January 31, 2013 What does this Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification mean to patients? It means Mercy has been recognized by the U.S. health care industrys most thorough standard-setting organization for having staff, equipment and processes that meet the highest levels of stroke prevention, detection, treatment and rehabilitation. With stroke, everyone knows minutes matter. What people might not know or think about when stroke happens is where they should go for their best chances of recovery, said Dr. Richard Vertrees Smith, neurosurgeon and Mercy NeuroScience Institute medical director. Were hoping this certification gives us the opportunity to help people in Oklahoma understand that the nations highest quality stroke care is right here at home, at Mercy. The process for earning this status started back in 2008, when Mercy earned its first stroke center accreditation from The Joint Commission the nations oldest and largest accrediting body in health care and didnt stop there. After a demanding application process, Mercy underwent a rigorous onsite review in October 2012, when Joint Commission experts surveyed compliance with … Continue reading →

A new study has shown that stem cells may aid recovery in rats that have suffered a stroke. The study, published in the journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy, found that stem cell treatments improved the amount of brain and nerve tissue that was repaired and increased the ability of the rats to complete behavioral tasks. Researchers used stem cells from both bone-marrow and fat tissue, and found positive results for each. Improved recovery was seen regardless of origin of the stem cells, which may increase the usefulness of this treatment in human trials, said Dr. Exuperio Dez-Tejedor, principal investigator in the neurology department at La Paz University Hospital. Adipose-derived cells in particular are abundant and easy to collect without invasive surgery. Though this type of research is promising for human patients, the researchers stated that questions regarding treatment protocols and which types of stem cells to use still need to be answered. The rats in the study were injected with stem cells or saline 30 minutes after suffering a stroke. 24 hours after the stroke, the rats treated with stem cells had already shown a better recovery. Two weeks later the stem cell-treated rats had nearly normal scores on … Continue reading →

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/-- Julie Hyman, 51, had a stroke at age 37. At the time, she was busy juggling home, family and work, but her lifestyle was stressful in the midst of balancing everything. Like so many people, she ignored the warning signs of her stroke, feeling that she was too young to experience such a devastating event. After her stroke, Julie felt that her life as she knew it was over. She was paralyzed on the left side and only had the use of one hand. She also had spasticity, a condition in which muscles become tight and stiff, making movement difficult or uncontrollable. "Relearning how to do simple things like buttoning my shirt were major challenges. Washing dishes, doing laundry and preparing meals were almost impossible," said Julie, a Faces of Stroke(SM) Ambassador for National Stroke Association's January mini-campaign honoring International Quality of Life Month. Nearly 60 percent of stroke survivors experience spasticity, which significantly affects their quality of life. Spasticity is a condition in which muscles become tight and stiff, which makes movement, especially of the arms or legs, difficult or uncontrollable. Through rehabilitation and therapy, Julie was taught to "think-plan-act" for every action … Continue reading →