Stroke Care

It can be hard or impossible for a person who is having a stroke to say what’s happening. Use the acronym “BE FAST” to know what warning signs to watch for in your loved ones or people around you:

• Balance: Is the person suddenly having trouble with their balance or coordination?
• Eyes: Is the person having sudden trouble seeing out of one or both eyes or experiencing sudden blurred or double vision?
• Face: Is one side of the person’s face drooping or numb? To check, ask the person to smile.
• Arm: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise their arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech: Can the person speak? Is their speech slurred or hard to understand? Tell the person to repeat a simple phrase. Can they do so correctly?
• Time to call 911: If the person has any of these symptoms — even if they go away — call 911 right away. Make sure you note when the person’s symptoms began.

Don’t wait to get help, even if the person says they’re OK and don’t need medical attention. Delays in emergency stroke care can lead to serious and life-threatening complications.

We're committed to expert, compassionate care every step of the way. Our team treats a variety of cancer conditions including:

• Ischemic Stroke (acute and subacute management)
• Transient Ischemic Attacks
• Non-Traumatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
• Ruptured and Unruptured Cerebral Aneurysms
• Cerebrovascular Malformations
• Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas
• Carotid Artery Disease
• Vertebrobasilar Disease
• Chronic Cerebral Ischemia
• Stroke Risk Assessment and Management
• Stroke Prevention
• Cervical Arterial Dissection and Carotid Webs
• Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome
• Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome
• Moyamoya Disease
• Cerebral Venous Thrombosis
• Cryptogenic Strokes
• Endovascular Treatment of Cerebrovascular Diseases
• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
• Vascular Cognitive Impairment/Dementia

No matter what type of condition you have, our team is able to help. Please contact us to learn more about our services.

We treat both ischemic stroke (a blockage of blood in one of the arteries that brings blood to the brain) and hemorrhagic stroke (a leak or rupture in one of the arteries in the brain). Our stroke team members provide treatment that is based on guidelines from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association to ensure the highest-quality care. If you or a loved one comes into our Emergency Department with potential symptoms of a stroke, our expertly trained doctors and staff members will perform a quick, thorough evaluation and provide the needed care as quickly as possible.

We provide three highly advanced treatments 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to treat strokes:

• IV (intravenous) treatment: We can inject a medication known as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), also known as alteplase or a “clot-buster,” to break up blockages that cause strokes.
• IA (intra-arterial) treatment: Using a minimally invasive procedure and tiny, flexible tubes called catheters, we can enter the blocked blood vessel and break up the blockage. This is a type of endovascular treatment for stroke.
• Mechanical thrombectomy: Using precise image guidance, we insert a catheter and guide it into the blocked blood vessel. Next, we use a special tool called a stent retriever to safely remove the blockage from the blood vessel and restore normal blood flow. This is another type of endovascular stroke therapy. We have been certified by The Joint Commission as a Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center — the only center in north Louisiana to earn this recognition.

No other providers in our area offer endovascular stroke treatments. Other providers in our area only offer IV treatment for stroke. We are one of only five centers in Louisiana that offer these advanced therapies, and the other four are in the south Louisiana/New Orleans region. We often see patients who have been transferred from other centers in our area because of our ability to provide these lifesaving procedures.

You or a loved one could suffer a stroke at any time with little or no warning. But there are ways to decrease your risk of having a stroke in the first place. Lower your risk of stroke by addressing these risk factors:

• Control diabetes if you have it: Successfully treating and managing diabetes can delay complications that increase your stroke risk.
• Live a healthy lifestyle: Eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly to reduce high blood pressure.
• Manage heart disease: If your doctor has told you that you have heart disease or high blood pressure, ask about your treatment plan and whether you need medication to help prevent the formation of clots in your blood vessels.
• Stop smoking: Smoking greatly increases your risk of having a stroke.

Our Stroke Support Group is a program formed to assist stroke and family as they adjust to new daily life. The group is open and free to all in the area. We will provide activities for socialization and education that are designed for each individual’s needs. Each meeting features discussions on various topics, socialization activities, and refreshments. Feedback is welcomed after each meeting.

When: Every third Wednesday of the month | Where: Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport - St. Mary Medical Center | For more information, please call 318-626-1855.

Stroke Volumes

The stroke program at Ochsner LSU Shreveport provides comprehensive treatment for stroke, with real-time, proactive approaches to ensure patients receive the best care with the best opportunity for recovery.

There are two types of stroke. Ischemic stroke happens when blood flow through the artery that supplies oxygen to the brain becomes blocked. Ischemic stroke accounts for 87 percent of all stroke cases. The remaining 13 percent of stroke happen due to weakened blood vessel that bleeds and/or ruptures. This type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke.

The following tables represent the amount of Stroke Patient Volumes and Inpatient Stroke Unique Patients at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport.

Ischemic Stroke Treatment Volumes

This shows the number of patients who received the clot-busting drug Activase IV and /or had endovascular clot retrieval at Ochsner LSU Shreveport or Activase IV at an outside hospital before being transferred to Ochsner LSU Shreveport for higher level of care.

Ischemic Stroke Reperfusion

Mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke is a minimally invasive procedure in which the clot responsible for the stroke is removed from the artery of the brain. This procedure is performed by highly specialized physicians and can be safely performed only on patients who meet certain criteria. A thrombectomy allows for reestablishment of blood flow to brain tissue in order to minimize the damage of the stroke.

Reperfusion means restoring circulation to a part of the brain that was blocked by a blood clot in the artery. Expert stroke physicians at Ochsner LSU Health opened blocked arteries using endovascular thrombectomy 98.6% of the time! That is more than 10% above both average regional or national rates.

Stroke Patient Outcomes

More than half of Ochsner LSU Shreveport’s stroke patients are discharged home to their families allowing them to enjoy life in their most comfortable environment.