Skyline Medical Center patient shares story of how she beat the odds against America’s  #3 Killer

New CDC report this month: Many people experiencing symptoms of stroke do not act quickly enough to avert damage. 

November 16, 2009-NASHVILLE, TN-A normal weekend ritual for many families is to go out to a local restaurant for a nice meal. What isn’t normal is when it came her turn to place her food order at the local Cracker Barrel last May, 47-year old Molly Lopp of Smyrna couldn’t utter an intelligible word.  “That’s because, unbeknownst to me, I was suffering a major stroke,” says Lopp.  A stroke, or brain attack, happens every 45 seconds in the United States.  It is the #3 killer of all Americans and the #1 cause of major disability.  When a stroke occurs, time is brain.  That means brain damage can occur for every minute that passes before a stroke is treated. 

Lopp was lucky.  When her stroke occurred she was directly across from StoneCrest Medical Center’s Emergency Room where tPA, a clot-busting drug, was ordered by a neurologist standing by at Skyline Medical Center.  Skyline Medical Center, who is recognized nationally as a neuroscience leader, is now in its 7th year as a Certified Stroke Center.  Lopp, who was later diagnosed and treated for severe vessel disease, suffered no permanent paralysis from her stroke thanks to quick treatment.

Lopp shared her incredible survivor story to 100 attendees at Skyline Medical Center’s 6th Annual Neurosymposium for Medical Professionals on Tuesday, November 10th.  “When a stroke occurs, time is brain.  That means brain damage can occur for every minute that passes before a stroke is treated,” said Skyline Medical Center Neurologist Christina Burch, M.D.

This month a CDC report reinforces crucial advice:  Call 911 at first sign of stroke.  A three-year CDC study of 57,000 stroke victims has found troubling evidence that, despite widespread awareness campaigns, many people experiencing symptoms of stroke do not act quickly enough to avert damage and disability.  In a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a national registry of patients who suffered a stroke between 2005 and 2007 has found that nearly 40% used private transportation to get to a hospital emergency room rather than calling 911.

According to the study, only about 20% got to a hospital within two hours of the onset of stroke symptoms. That delay is particularly important because the treatment most effective in reducing death and disability from strokes caused by a blockage of a blood vessel -- tissue plasminogen activator (or tPA) -- must be administered no later than 4.5 hours after the onset of symptoms to be effective.

Dr. Burch says it’s important to know the warning signs of stroke and to call 9-1-1 immediately if you or a loved one experience any of the following symptoms:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Recognized nationally for its neuroscience services, Skyline is the first hospital in Tennessee to earn "Primary Stroke Center" certification from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is celebrating its 7th year as a Stroke Center.  For more information, please contact TriStar MedLine at 800-242-5662.