Strokes have a time critical diagnosis which makes practicing the proper prehospital care important to ensure patients are receiving life saving care. In this course, Dr. Eric Cortez discusses what a stroke is, what steps to take to identify a stroke, and how to prepare while transporting the patient to a hospital. By making sure a hospital is prepared to take on a stroke patient, EMS will be able to help shave off time from the occurrence to the time the patients are able to receive treatment. Dr. Cortez also discusses the types of strokes, their symptoms, and their various treatments.
Course Type: Full-length Course
Course Duration: 60 min
Prehospital stroke care continues to evolve. Over the past five years, mechanical thrombectomy has emerged as the preferred treatment option for patients presenting with large vessel occlusion strokes. EMS agencies are now being challenged to recognize large vessel occlusions on-scene and consider direct transport to comprehensive stroke centers for mechanical thrombectomy. In this course, we will review the current paradigm of prehospital stroke care, review the growing body of literature evaluating prehospital stroke severity tools, and discuss the numerous items affecting transport decisions.
Course Type: Full-length Course
Course Duration: 60 min
