“Time is brain cells,”says West Virginia University neurologist David Libell, MD. That’s why WVU will open the state’s first stroke center Aug. 1. Every hour that passes between the onset of stroke symptoms and the beginning of medical treatment increases the chance of permanent damage to the brain.

The Stroke Center at West Virginia University offers emergency treatments that can may stop a stroke while it is happening.”We now have the ability in some cases to fix strokes, or prevent brain damage before it occursif we see a patient soon enough,”said Dr. Libell, who specializes in stroke and neuromuscular diseases.

Specialists from neurosurgery, neurology, radiology, vascular surgery and emergency medicine make up the stroke team. The newest drug therapies and state-of-the-art technologies will be offered to provide timely treatment of stroke, in order to minimize permanent damage. Prevention and rehabilitation services are also offered.

Because speed is of the essence, one goal of the stroke team will be to educate the public to recognize and respond quickly to stroke symptoms:

  • sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or legespecially along one side of the body
  • sudden confusion
  • sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
  • sudden difficulty speaking or trouble understanding speech
  • sudden severe headache with no known cause
  • unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls, especially with any of the other signs.

A new therapy that can break up a blood clot or minimize the damage caused by a stroke that has already occurred will be available to ideal candidates. The therapy consists of a drug called t-PA (tissue plasminogen activator) that can be delivered directly to the location of the clot.

Surgery to repair ruptured or enlarged blood vessels in the brain (aneurysms) in order to minimize damage is also offered.

Other members of the multi-disciplinary stroke team are Julian Bailes, MD, chair of neurosurgery; Ann Chinnis, MD, interim chair of emergency medicine; and Abdulkader Al-Azzaz, MD, a neuro-radiologist who specializes in neuro-interventional and diagnostic radiology.

The Stroke Center also evaluates and treats patients who are at risk for stroke or who have suffered a stroke. Stroke prevention therapy includes the use of medication to reduce the risk of blood clot formation. Surgery to remove fatty deposits from the arteries is also used for stroke prevention. In addition to medication and surgery, lifestyle changes that can help reduce risk are also recommended, such as diet and exercise.

Emergency stroke services can be obtained by calling 911 at the first symptoms of stroke. The Stroke Center will coordinate with regional emergency service providers to make sure stroke treatment begins as soon as the ambulance arrives. For more information about stroke, see the WVU Health Page on the Internet,www.health.wvu.edu.