Stroke Treatment

If you or a loved one have a stroke, turn to the experts at Adventist HealthCare for fast, lifesaving care.

What’s a Stroke?

A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is cut off. Without fast treatment, stroke can lead to brain damage or death. Types of stroke include:

• Hemorrhagic stroke – When a blood vessel in the brain leaks and causes bleeding
• Ischemic stroke – When blood flow is blocked or reduced in the arteries to the brain
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA), or mini-stroke – Causes short-term symptoms that go away on their own, but may be a warning sign you’re likely to have a more severe stroke

Award-Winning Stroke Centers

Choose the best hospitals for stroke care near you. The Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services designates Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center and Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center as Primary Stroke Centers. Shady Grove Medical Center has also earned Primary Stroke Center certification from The Joint Commission. That means you’ll benefit from:

• Emergency system that alerts the stroke team to prepare for your care
• Hospital stroke unit that offers specialized emergency care
• 24-hour neurology and imaging services to diagnose a stroke and plan treatment
• Treatments that follow the latest guidelines and research
• Multidisciplinary team including neurosurgeons, emergency department doctors, a stroke coordinator and nurses

Both hospitals also hold Gold Plus Quality Achievement and Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus awards from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. This means when minutes count, you’ll get immediate attention from a coordinated team.

Comprehensive Treatments

Select facilities with advanced technology near your home in Maryland or Washington D.C. You’ll have access to:

• Medication to dissolve a stroke-causing blood clot
• Surgery, such as intracranial bypass, carotid endarterectomy or craniectomy
• Thrombectomy, a procedure to remove a blood clot from a vein or artery

Minimally Invasive Techniques

Your doctors will use the least invasive options available when possible.

For example, if you have a surgical procedure, your surgeon may use endovascular techniques. Your surgeon will make small incisions, use tiny tools and long, thin tubes (catheters) instead of one large incision.

This means you’ll have a shorter recovery and less risk of complications.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Take part in rehabilitation to help you regain skills and return to your daily activities. Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation holds accreditation in stroke recovery from the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

Stroke Support Groups

Share your story and learn from others in an empathetic environment. Take part in support groups for people who have had a stroke or are caring for a loved one that’s had a stroke.