It’s the terrifying math of stroke treatment: For every 30-minute delay, chances of good recovery go down 10 percent.
Here’s how the 30-10 Formula works. New research shows that a half-hour delay in removing a blood clot that’s causing a stroke equates to the 10 percent drop in likelihood of a good recovery.
Doctors must give intravenous drugs to bust up clots within 4½ hours of the start of stroke — and even faster for better outcomes. After that, they can deliver clot busters directly to the clot or use mechanical devices to remove a clot.
Common reasons for delays in getting stroke treatment include:
- Patients or witnesses don’t recognize the signs of a stroke.
- Family members drive someone having a stroke to the hospital instead of calling 9-1-1.
- Emergency departments delay evaluating a patient.
- Hospital staff delay transferring patients to a facility with expertise in stroke care.
So, the bottom line: Learn how to recognize a stroke and respond quickly.
Related Information:
- American Heart Association News Release
- F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs and symptoms of a stroke.
