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Primary Stroke Center

Stroke Care Leaders in the San Fernando Valley

Taking care of stroke patients is more than our duty at Sherman Oaks Hospital, it is our passion. Through our continual commitment to delivering only the best stroke patient care and treatments with real urgency, we have become certified by The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center and recognized by the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association’s “Get With the Guidelines®” (GWTG) Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and the GTWG Target: Stroke Honor Roll. When a patient is brought through our doors after suffering a stroke, or for showing symptoms of a stroke, they know they are in some of the best professional hands in the entirety of the San Fernando Valley.

For further information, contact us at 818-981-7111.

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A young African-American doctor consultations with a patient in a medical office

Quick Thinking & Faster Treatment is Crucial for Stroke Patients

Reducing or eliminating the chances of a stroke causing permanent complications for the patient, diagnosis needs to be made as soon as possible so treatment can follow just as rapidly. Everyone at our Sherman Oaks primary stroke center is fully aware of the urgency required when helping a stroke patient. We are renowned for delivering much-needed medical attention on a moment’s notice, whether the patient is just arriving at our clinic or is an inpatient in further distress. We are on-call and ready to act every day of the year – even holidays – and every hour of every day.

What You Need to Know About Strokes

What is a stroke?

Someone is suffering a stroke when brain cells begin to die due to a lack of blood, oxygen, or nutrients delivered to the brain. Most strokes occur when a blood clot or rupture prevents necessary blood to be carried from arteries to the affected area.

Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the country, according to American Heart Association research. Every year, approximately 800,000 Americans will suffer a stroke and 15 people will die from a stroke every hour.

What are usual warning signs of a stroke?

You can identify the warning signs of a stroke in a hurry by using the FAST checklist. Someone who exhibits just one of the FAST symptoms may be having a stroke. Call 911 if they do.

The FAST checklist is:

Face: Direct the person to smile and see if one side of their face droops.
Arms: Direct the person to raise both arms and tell you if they feel weakness. Look to see if one arm involuntarily drifts downward.
Speech: Direct the person to repeat a simple or well-known phrase. Listen for any slurred or unusual speech patterns.
Time: Did you notice one or more of these signs? Do not waste any time – call 911 immediately and tell the dispatcher that the person is likely suffering a stroke.

What is known to cause or contribute to strokes?

People of any age or health can suffer a stroke, but there are recognized risk factors that increase a person’s chances of suffering one.

Your stroke risk factor increases if you have:

Family history of heart attacks or stroke
Suffered a stroke or heart attack before
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Unsafe cholesterol levels
Blood circulation problems
Atrial fibrillation
Smoking habits
Regular physical inactivity

High Quality Emergency Treatment & Rehabilitation

Sherman Oaks Hospital is fully committed to the treatment program of our primary stroke center. We take pride in using techniques and processes that have been approved by the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association for effectiveness and safety based on years of research, evidence, and medical studies.

Beyond providing tried and true emergency medical attention, we are equipped to help our patients through rehabilitation. Stroke patients often lose the ability to complete regular motor functions, even when they are admitted into a doctor’s care shortly after the stroke. Using our rehabilitative methods, our Sherman Oaks stroke specialists can assist patients through the process of relearning and regaining bodily skills, like fine hand articulation for writing and typing.

Awarded & Acclaimed Stroke Center in Sherman Oaks

Stroke patients need comprehensive medical treatment and they need it without delay. Sherman Oaks Hospital delivers just that and much more, all backed by our experience and industry recognitions, including our American Heart Association / American Stroke Association’s “Get With the Guidelines®” (GWTG) Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. We are also a facility with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) drugs in storage, a powerful FDA approved medicine that can rapidly treat ischemic strokes.