Shore Memorial is a Primary Stroke Center

Awarded the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval^TM as a Primary Stroke Center in September of 2005 and re-accredited in 2007, the staff of the Neuroscience Center at Shore Memorial Hospital is setting new standards of stroke care excellence.

As a Primary Stroke Center, Shore Memorial follows protocols issued through the American Stroke Association/American Heart Association and uses Joint Commission standard treatment orders and clinical paths. Our Emergency Department staff and physicians are specially trained in the care and treatment of stroke patients and are skilled in administering rt-PA, the clot busting medication that can improve patient outcomes.

It is vitally important that once symptoms are identified, emergency treatment is rendered. The rt-PA must be given within three-hours of the initial onset of symptoms. People need to treat stroke symptoms as seriously as they would treat heart attack symptoms.

Stroke symptoms may vary depending on whether it is an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Patients are cautioned not to sit down and rest or take a nap thinking the problem will go away. It’s a medical emergency and patients need to call 911 immediately.

Know the warning signs of stroke. Respond immediately to these symptoms:

• Sudden weakness or numbness 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.

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Shore Memorial's Division of Neurology has endorsed these order sets and pathways as the standards of care for our acute stroke patients. Neurosurgeon Dr. Scott Strenger is the Medical Director for the Neuroscience Center and Neurologist Dr. Jeffrey Boxman is the Stroke Program Director. Shore Memorial’s Stroke Center also provides education programs for EMS to identify stroke signs and provides 24-hour neurology and neurosurgery physician care.

Stroke Risk Factors you can control include:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol which can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attack damaging heart muscle and increasing your risk for stroke
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• Heavy use of alcohol
• Illegal use of cocaine and other street drugs

Stroke Risk Factors you can’t control:

• Increasing age. Stroke affects people of all ages. But the older you are, the greater your stroke risk.
• Gender. In most age groups, more men than women have stroke, but more women die from stroke.
• Heredity and race. People whose close blood relations have had a stroke have a higher risk of strokes themselves. African Americans have a higher risk of death and disability from stroke than whites, because they have high blood pressure more often. Hispanic Americans are also at higher risk of stroke.
• Prior stroke. Someone who has had a stroke is at higher risk of having another one.

Learn more about your risk of stroke:

American Heart Association
Learn and Live Quiz
Take the Learn and Live Quiz. It's free and an easy way to access resources to help you live a longer and stronger life. Register after the quiz and the American Heart Association will send you a free cookbook.
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American Stroke Association
Stroke Risk Assessment Form
It's important to know your risk for stroke. Knowing your risk is the key to stroke prevention. Use this form to determine your risk for stroke. This assessment is private and completely confidential -- you don't have to send it to us or to anyone else. It's solely for you to fill out and print and share with your physician, if you choose to.
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