Also called: Ischemic Stroke; Hemorrhagic Stroke; Transient Ischemic Attack
A stroke is a medical emergency that happens when the blood supply of the brain is suddenly interrupted. That interruption of blood supply can be caused by things like a blood clot or a ruptured blood vessel. When this happens, brain tissue can be deprived of oxygen and nutrients which may cause permanent damage to the brain.
UAMS is nationally certified by The Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center. The stroke team includes interventional neuroradiologists, who provide catheter-based treatments of the brain, and vascular neurosurgeons.
What Sets Our Stroke Services Apart
Our participation in Get With The Guidelines®/Mission: Lifeline® demonstrates our commitment to quality care. We understand that the up-to-date, evidence-based treatment guidelines from the American Heart Association® are best for our patients.
Our multidisciplinary team offers diagnosis and state-of-the-art care to stroke patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To be a comprehensive stroke center, a hospital or clinic must be able to provide 24/7 care for patients suffering from a stroke and any cerebrovascular disorder, including ruptured brain aneurysms and bleeding into and around the brain. The Joint Commission requires the provider hospital or clinic to have the following available to do that: an acute stroke team, neurointensive care unit beds for complex stroke patients, the ability to meet the concurrent needs of two complex stroke patients, and have neurosurgical services.
Our stroke center in Little Rock offers:
- an acute stroke team
- comprehensive diagnostic services
- on-site coverage by a neurospecialist for our neurointensive care unit
- patient-centered research that is approved by an institutional review board
The Neurology Department at UAMS provides some of the best care in Arkansas for individuals who have had a stroke or are at risk of a stroke. In addition to our multidisciplinary approach, we also offer some of the most advanced treatments to our patients. Since UAMS is a teaching hospital, we participate in studies supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These studies continue to lead to new diagnostic techniques and treatments.