« Stroke Center

Emergency Stroke Care

Specialized stroke care begins the moment you enter our emergency department (ED).

Young male doctor leaning over female middle aged patient for CT scan

At HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, suspected stroke patients are treated with utmost urgency by a team of dedicated stroke care professionals from our prestigious Comprehensive Stroke Center.

  • Patients are sent immediately for a CT scan of the head, where results are obtained from the radiologist within minutes.
  • Emergency department physicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons and neurointerventional surgeons work closely together to make immediate decisions based on results of the patient’s CT scan, other labs and overall condition. 
  • Timing is of particular importance for stroke patients as those who present within 4.5 hours of symptom onset are prime candidates for the drug tenecteplase (TNK). TNK is a game-changing stroke treatment that helps dissolves clots and restores blood flow to the brain tissue that is dying from lack of oxygen.
  • Stroke patients are in the best of hands with the multidisciplinary team of experts inside HSHS St. Vincent Hospital’s inpatient rehabilitation unit. With tailored recovery programs, compassionate care and personalized attention, we are dedicated to helping you return home as quickly as possible. Learn more.

Our Guidelines

The nurses and physicians within the emergency department follow a specialized set of guidelines as recommended by the American Stroke Association and the American Heart Association, which are reviewed on a regular basis by specialists worldwide. St. Vincent's adherence to these guidelines helps ensure our patients receive the most up-to-date stroke care available.