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If You Suspect Stroke, Act FAST

At the first sign of stroke, you need experts who can promptly diagnose and treat. The experienced neurologists at Mercy Medical Center Merced provide coordinated response and specialized stroke services 24 hours a day. 

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Stroke Center

Mercy Medical Center Merced offers access to quality treatment for stroke and injuries to the brain or spine and neurological disorders such as epilepsy and others. Neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other specialized doctors work together with our skilled nursing staff to develop individual treatment plans to improve the quality of life for our patients.

Signs and Symptoms

Watch for these signs and symptoms if you think you or someone else may be having a stroke:

  • Trouble with speaking and understanding
  • Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg
  • Trouble with seeing in one or both eyes
  • Sudden, severe headache

When a patient shows signs of a possible stroke, a Stroke Alert is called, quickly putting the wheels in motion to assemble a specialized team, consult a neurologist and perform a CT scan to diagnose the type of stroke. Depending on the type of stroke, patients may receive a medication to quickly dissolve the clot and restore blood flow to the brain.

Act FAST

F.A.S.T. is:

FACE: Face Drooping– Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?

ARMS: Arm Weakness– Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

SPEECH: Speech Difficulty– Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like "The sky is blue." Is the sentence repeated correctly?

TIME: Time to call 911– If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately. Check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared.

Stroke Prevention and Treatment

Our stroke treatment and prevention efforts include

  • Assessment for and treatment of heart rhythms that may contribute to stroke
  • Administration medications designed to reduce the chance of recurrent stroke
  • Therapies aimed at preventing additional blood clots from developing in the extremities
  • Rehabilitation therapy
  • Patient and family education
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Learn More

For more information on our Stroke Center please call (209) 354-8054.