PHOENIX — This month, KTAR’s Community Spotlight is shining a light on the work Barrow Neurological Institute does to help stroke survivors in Arizona.
This month is Stroke Awareness month, which is why the issue is especially pertinent, according to Dr. Daniel Gonzalez, the director of the institute’s Neurology Residency Program,
“The name of the game with strokes is always time,” Gonzalez told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Monday. “If we can identify symptoms, neurological symptoms that happen from one second to the next, then we could do something about it and you may be a candidate for treatment.”
Gonzalez treated KTAR News 92.3 FM’s own Detour Dan Beach after he had a stroke in 2019. The station’s former longtime traffic expert retired last year to spend more time with his family.
KTAR’s Community Spotlight celebrates Barrow Neurological Institute
This month’s Community Spotlight goes to the institute due to its robust stroke treatment strategies.
“The way we provide stroke care has evolved over the course of time. In 2017, we introduced our Barrow emergency stroke treatment unit,” Gonzalez said.
This mobile stroke treatment responds to 911 calls placed within its radius of treatment.
“Essentially, we take the stroke provider and the stroke team to the patient,” Gonzalez said. “We go to your house. We’ve been at church. We’ve been by poolside and treated patients and given them medication to relieve … stroke symptoms.”
The institute at the center of May’s Community Spotlight also uses new technology to connect people with experts, regardless of where they seek care, he added.
“We truly believe that everybody in the state of Arizona deserves to have a board certified vascular neurologist see them when they’re having their symptoms,” Gonzalez said. “These two advancements in stroke care have allowed us to do that.”
Community Spotlight shines light on institute helping Arizona stroke survivors
“At Barrow Neurological Institute, we endorse BE FAST,” Gonzalez said. “BE FAST just means if you have any issues with your balance, any issues with your eyes, any issues with your face, weakness in your arms, or your speech, it’s time to call 911.”
Here’s what the acronym stands for in its entirety:
- B: Balance: Is there a sudden loss of balance or coordination?
- E: Eyes: Is there sudden blurred vision, double vision or other vision trouble?
- F: Face: Ask the person to smile. Is one side or are both sides of the face drooping?
- A: Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one side drift downward? Is there weakness or numbness on one side?
- S: Speech: Does the person have slurred or garbled speech? Can he or she repeat simple phrases?
- T: Time: Call 911 for immediate medical attention if you notice one or more of these signs. Also, take note of when the symptoms began.
“Any stroke can happen to anybody at any time, any place,” Gonzalez said. “There are several risk factors, some we can control and some we can’t control.”
For instance, people can’t control risk factors like race, age or sex.
“There are things you can control like controlling your cholesterol, your diabetes, your high blood pressure, not smoking and limiting your alcohol use,” Gonzalez said.
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