Orlando Health Stroke Center at Orlando Health Medical Center
Stroke is our nation's third cause of death and a leading cause of severe, long-term disability. Strokes are preventable and treatable. Knowing the risk factors and changing your lifestyle can help you avoid having a stroke. Early treatment, particularly within three hours, at a certified stroke center can significantly improve your chances of recovery.
Orlando Health Stroke Center, located at ORMC is equipped to deliver care to stroke patients to the level required by the Florida Stroke Act. The Orlando Health Stroke Center is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Beyond the Florida Stroke Act requirements, ORMC provides additional services including:
- Acute stroke and rapid response teams; specially trained medical teams providing critical care management to patients in the Emergency Department as well as inpatient areas
- Inpatient stroke unit staffed with skilled and caring RN’s many who have achieved their specialty certification in Neuroscience nursing
- Resources from Orlando Health Medical Center's Level One Trauma Center
- Neurology coverage 24/7
- Neurosurgery coverage 24/7
- 24-hour diagnostic imaging
- 64-slice Sensation CT Scanner
- 1.5 Tesla MRI
- Cerebral angiography coverage 24/7
Stroke Warning Signs
- Sudden numbness or weakness 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
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
If you experience any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1. If you cannot call 9-1-1, have someone else drive you to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Understanding Stroke
Understanding the mechanics of a stroke and modifying your lifestyle are keys to prevention. Knowing the warning signs can mean the difference between recovery and disability or even life and death. Stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease that results from the blockage of a blood vessel leading to and within the brain. When this happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs.
- Ischemic stroke: a blood vessel is blocked by a clot
- Hemorrhagic stroke: a blood vessel ruptures, causing blood to leak into the brain.
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA or mini-stroke): temporary lack of blood to the brain causing brief symptoms of stroke
Stroke Risk Factors & Prevention
The more risk factors you have, the higher your chances of having a stroke. The best way to prevent a stroke is to reduce your risk factors. Talk with your doctor to help change risk factors that may result from your lifestyle or environment.
Risk factors that can be controlled or treated:
- High blood pressure
- Tobacco use
- Diabetes mellitus
- Carotid or other artery disease
- Atrial fibrillation
- Heart disease
- Transient ischemic attacks (TIA)
- Certain blood disorders
- Sickle cell disease
- High blood cholesterol
- Physical inactivity and obesity
- Excessive alcohol
- Some illegal drugs
Risk factors you cannot control:
- Increasing age
- Sex (gender)
- Heredity (family history) and race
- Prior stroke or heart attack
Preventing Stroke:
- Eat a well-balanced diet containing at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily
- Participate in moderate exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Stop smoking and avoid environmental exposure to smoke
Post-Stroke Rehabilitation at Orlando Health Rehabilitation Institute (OHRI)
Stroke rehabilitation is a very important part of recovery for many people who have had a stroke. It helps build your strength, coordination, endurance and confidence. In stroke rehabilitation, you may learn how to move, talk, think and care for yourself. The goal of stroke rehabilitation is to help you learn how to do things that you did before the stroke.
OHRI is the home to the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center (BIRC), our dedicated unit specializing in the treatment of brain injured patients for over 27 years. Utilizing a team based process; BIRC is the only dedicated brain injury unit in Central Florida. Patients are accepted that meet the following criteria:
BIRC has a full continuum of services, allowing for excellent communication and transition between levels of care from inpatient to outpatient programs. By maintaining this continuum, specific needs and issues can be communicated as the patient progresses from the inpatient setting to outpatient resulting in a final discharge of maximum achievable independence.
OHRI is accredited by CARF for Brain Injury Program and for Outpatient Brain Injury Program. OHRI is also designated provider for the Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program.