Stroke Care

Trust the Stroke Care Experts at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth

A stroke is a medical emergency. It occurs when oxygen-rich blood is prevented from reaching your brain, and it can happen in minutes.

There are several types of stroke:

• Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.
• Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot or plaque blocks blood flow in the brain. This is the most common type of stroke.
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is sometimes called a mini stroke. It’s like an ischemic stroke, but it clears up quickly, typically with no lasting damage.

We stand ready to help with leading-edge therapies that offer hope for promising long-term recovery.

Stroke Symptoms

Stroke symptoms come on suddenly and may include:

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg – especially on one side of the body.
• Confusion.
• Trouble speaking or understanding speech.
• Trouble walking.
• Dizziness.
• Loss of balance or coordination.
• Severe headache with no known cause.
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

If you have or witness stroke symptoms, it’s important to call 911 right away. Getting to the hospital quicky and receiving prompt treatment is crucial. It can mean the difference between recovery and disability or death.

Nationally Recognized Stroke Care

BID Plymouth received the Get with the Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Honor Roll Award. This award comes from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. It recognizes our commitment to get patients fast, effective treatment for ischemic stroke. Our goal is to help reverse the effects of the stroke by reducing the time between a patients’ arrival at the Emergency Department and treatment.

BID Plymouth TeleStroke Service

Our TeleStroke Service helps you get the highest-quality emergency stroke treatment quickly. The service is staffed by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) Stroke Team. It includes world-renowned vascular neurologists and neurosurgeons.

Working with our Emergency Department doctors, the BIDMC team can evaluate your condition remotely using a video camera. They use results of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans conducted at BID Plymouth to help decide if you’re a good candidate for TPA. If so, we’ll give you the drug treatment at BID Plymouth. The goal is to reverse injury and help protect your brain. 

For complex strokes, the BIDMC team can help arrange a transfer to Boston. There, the most serious stroke patients can receive the most advanced, life-saving interventions.

Following a stroke, rehabilitation may help you recover.

Understanding TPA

Tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) is a common treatment for ischemic stroke. When given soon enough after a stroke, it can be very effective.