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Think F.A.S.T.
If you witness a possible stroke, use the following tips from the National Stroke Association – the F.A.S.T. approach – to respond to the crisis:
F = Face – Ask a person to smile, and observe him/her to see if one side of the face droops.
A = Arm – Ask the person to raise both arms. Notice if one arm drifts downward.
S = Speech – Listen to the person’s speech pattern. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
T = Time – If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.
What is a Stroke?
Strokes don’t affect just the ill or elderly – they can happen to anyone, at any time. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the No. 1 cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States – and more than 75 percent of strokes are preventable, according to the National Stroke Association.
A stroke is a vascular crisis or a “brain attack” in which a blood vessel in the brain breaks or a blood clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain – both causing brain damage. A stroke victim’s speech, movement and memory can be permanently affected. With immediate medical attention, the effects of a stroke can be minimized.
Our MHSC Acute Stroke Team responds to a patient within minutes upon arrival to the hospital. It is vital that a patient who suffers a “brain attack” receive specialized care, which may include thrombolytic therapy, within the first 4½ hours of a stroke.
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The Memorial Hospital of Salem County (MHSC) is designated by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services as a Primary Stroke Center.
What does this designation mean to you – and our community?
It means that MHSC has in place a specially trained, multidisciplinary acute stroke team available around the clock that includes doctors and nurses with advanced training in stroke.
Collaborating with the Jefferson Neuroscience Network, MHSC offers a broad range of diagnostic capabilities that rival many university-affiliated hospitals. Neuro-Imaging (CT and MRI), Lab services and special Pharmacy needs are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Memorial Hospital of Salem County and the Jefferson Neuroscience Network
The Memorial Hospital of Salem County has joined the Jefferson Neuroscience Network(JNN). Through this collaboration, Jefferson and MHSC will provide some of the most sophisticated care and expertise available to patients with time-sensitive neurovascular 
diseases. By joining the network, MHSC offers patients access to the resources of Jefferson’s comprehensive stroke center, including community education programs, clinical trials and advanced protocols for the detection and treatment of stroke and other neuroscience disorders.
When a stroke occurs, every minute counts.
The Memorial Hospital of Salem County’s Acute Stroke Team is available to provide prompt emergency care – key to a successful patient recovery.
Know the Signs
Signs of a possible stroke include:
- Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis of the face or on one side of the body
- Unexplained dizziness and/or loss of balance
- Sudden severe headache
- Sudden loss of vision
- Difficulty swallowing
- Confusion or difficulty speaking/understanding
Learn Your Risk
Your medical history and lifestyle choices can affect your likelihood of suffering a stroke. If you have one of the following risk factors, talk with a medical professional about how to minimize your risk:
- Age (over 55)
- Family history of stroke
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Abnormal heart rhythm/condition
- Heart disease
- High cholesterol
- High red blood cell count
- African American descent
- Hispanic/Latino descent
- Previous “mini-strokes,” also called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)