R.N. Sara Dick, cardiac mechanical support coordinator, gives her patient a test used to measure the brain capacity of possible stroke victims at University Hospital.
Mike Terry, Deseret News
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SALT LAKE CITY While a stroke can be scary and debilitating, Utahns can rest easier knowing that they'll likely receive the best immediate care.
At least 62 percent of stroke patients in the state received clot-busting medication within an hour of arriving at emergency departments statewide during 2012 the highest percentage in the country, according to a new study by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.
Results were dramatically better than the national average of 43 percent, and significantly better than any other state.
"You never want to experience a stroke, but the data suggest that if you're going to have one, Utah is the best place to be in the nation," said Dr. Kevin Call, a stroke neurologist with Intermountain Healthcare.
Call said the result is directly tied to the fact that hospitals in the state work toward the same common goal, which is "to provide the fastest, best possible care for patients."
The study, released Thursday, measured "door-to-needle" time, or the amount of time it takes for medical professionals to give eligible stroke patients an intravenous dose of a complex protein intended to break down potentially harmful blood clots in the brain. The speed at which Utah patients received the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, or rt-PA, outpaced all other states.
Colorado hospitals are the only others that came close, assisting 61.7 percent of patients in time to make a bigger difference in possible healthy outcomes. Nebraska patients experienced the greatest lag in response time, with 21.1 percent receiving the dose within an hour of admittance, the report states.
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Study shows Utah hospitals are best in the nation for stroke treatment