Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability in the United States, according to the American Heart Association®/American Stroke Association®. About 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke each year. High blood pressure is the most important risk factor for stroke.

A stroke, sometimes referred to as a cerebral vascular accident or a “brain attack,” is an interruption in the flow of blood to brain cells. Brain cells die when deprived of oxygen from blood. A stroke occurs when a blockage of an artery prevents blood from reaching cells in the brain, or when an artery ruptures inside or outside the brain, causing hemorrhage. According to experts, a stroke should be treated with the same urgency as a heart attack. Every second is critical to patient care, survival and subsequent quality of life.

At the Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at Manatee Memorial Hospital, stroke patients receive specially designed services and treatments which focus on prevention and intervention, as well as rehabilitation and education.

Fast, Team-Based Stroke Services

The Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center offers a rapid-response Stroke Alert Team to evaluate and treat all stroke emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our team-based approach allows for streamlined treatment and services. In fact, recent clinical studies indicate that a team approach improves patient outcomes.

Our Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center and our Neuro Intensive Care Unit offer advanced diagnostics and stroke treatments. Included among our treatment methods is thrombolytic therapy, which can greatly benefit patients if administered within three hours of a stroke, and endovascular stroke treatment, such as mechanical thrombectomy and carotid angioplasty.

To help deliver prompt, quality care, the multidisciplinary Stroke Alert Team may include:

• Emergency physicians and nurses
• Neurologists
• Neurosurgeons
• Specially-trained nurses
• Medical technicians

Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

Neurologist Dr. Ralph Gonzalez, MD, of Manatee Memorial Hospital shares the signs and symptoms of a stroke, and how you can use the acronym BE FAST to spot them.

Stroke Patient Testimonial

Listen to Jane Caruso speak on her experience having a stroke and her treatment and recovery at Manatee Memorial Hospital:

Nationally Recognized for Quality Stroke Care

Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for Stroke Care

Manatee Memorial Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®– Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for the 14th year. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, based on the latest scientific evidence.

The hospital also received the association’s Target: Stroke Elite Honor Roll award for the 6th year. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

U.S. News & World Report High Performing Hospital for Stroke

In 2023, U.S. News & World Report named Manatee Memorial Hospital a High Performing Hospital for Stroke. This is in recognition of care that was significantly better than the national average, as measured by factors such as patient outcomes.

Comprehensive Stroke Certification

Manatee Memorial Hospital was awarded the Comprehensive Stroke Certification by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC). This certification confirms that the stroke specialty of Manatee Memorial Hospital is providing high quality care as determined by an independent, external process of evaluation.

A Full Continuum of Care

At Manatee Memorial, stroke patients can access a full complement of specially-designed services and treatments, which focus on:

• Prevention and intervention
• Education
• Active management of strokes
• Rehabilitation

Know the Warning Signs of a Possible Stroke

As every second is critical to patient care, it is important to know the warning signs of a possible stroke, listed below.

• 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

BE FAST

If you suspect you or your loved one is having a stroke, remember to BE FAST:

• Balance is affected. A person may fall or feel unsteady.
• Eyes are blurry or have difficulty seeing when you ask a person about their vision.
• Face droops when you ask a person to smile.
• Arm weakness when you ask a person to raise their arms above their head.
• Speech is slurred when you ask a person to repeat a sentence.
• Time is important. If you notice any symptoms of a possible stroke, call 9-1-1.

Stroke resources can be found on the American Stroke Association's website.