Emergency Stroke Program

Sharp emergency rooms are prepared to respond quickly to stroke symptoms.

In accordance with national guidelines from the American Stroke Association, Sharp HealthCare has a systemwide stroke program in its emergency rooms. Emergency department staff is prepared to detect stroke and, when appropriate, treat stroke patients with tPA, a powerful anti-clotting medication that must be administered within three hours of the onset of stroke symptoms.

Because emergency diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients is very time sensitive, Sharp has a stroke code procedure in place at each of its four acute-care hospitals:

  • When a patient arrives at the emergency department with stroke symptoms, a nurse and emergency physician immediately conduct an assessment.
  • Emergency department staff draws the patient’s blood and, if appropriate, takes the patient for a CT scan.
  • A radiologist reviews the CT and calls the report to the emergency physician and neurologist, who determine the best course of treatment. If tPA is required, a neurologist administers the drug intravenously.

When patients are discharged, Sharp’s stroke program enters them in a stroke registry — a clinical database that tracks patient information, treatment decisions and outcomes. This way, we can measure how effectively we treat each patient compared to other patients and national standards for stroke care.

For More Information
To learn more about Sharp's stroke and neurology services or to find a Sharp-affiliated doctor, search for a San Diego neurologist or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. To find general information about neurology, visit Neurology and Stroke in Adult Health or read the Neurology News archive.