Living Well: Your Source for Health and Wellness
Living Well: Your Source for Health and Wellness

The Heart & Vascular Institute
Unveils New Stroke Services

Neurologist Jonathan Spivack, MD (right) confers with radiologist Randall Pierce, MD.
Neurologist Jonathan Spivack, MD (right) confers with radiologist Randall Pierce, MD.
Stroke is a medical emergency that affects the brain. It is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States. Healthcare professionals know that "time lost is brain lost," so it is critical to get medical care at the first warning signs of a stroke -- ideally by calling 9-1-1 and getting to the nearest Emergency Department (ED).

At the Northern Nevada Medical Center ED, a stroke response team, including a neurologist, works with ED physicians to initiate care for possible stroke patients. Team members assess each patient, determine if he or she has had a stroke and decide on appropriate treatment options. The stroke response team uses teleneurology, an innovative system that allows neurologists to diagnose stroke and recommend treatments without even being at the hospital. Because teleneurology brings physicians right to a patient's bedside, this can result in faster diagnostic testing and treatment.

L to R: Neurologists Stephen Raps, MD, Jonathan Spivack, MD and Aaron Heide, MD.
L to R: Neurologists Stephen Raps, MD, Jonathan Spivack, MD and Aaron Heide, MD.
The clot-busting medication tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) is now the treatment of choice for acute strokes, but it is only recommended if it can be administered within the first three hours of symptom onset. That's why early recognition of stroke warning signs is critical.

Only about 20 percent of stroke patients have near-to-full recovery, so stroke prevention is especially important. Strategies to decrease risk may include exercise, maintaining a healthy diet and tobacco cessation. It is also important to control chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Long-term treatment and care for stroke patients may include personal lifestyle changes, medications or physical therapy. It may also include inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation.

Case workers involve family members during treatment. Often, support from loved ones helps keep the recovery process on track once a patient returns home.

For more information about NNMC's new services for stroke patients, please visit www.NNMC.com.

Finding Migraine Relief

By Stephen Raps, MD

Neurologist Stephen Raps, MD (above) speaks with a patient suffering from migraine.
Neurologist Stephen Raps, MD (above) speaks with a patient suffering from migraine.
Almost 15 percent of adults experience migraine -- a severe, often disabling neurovascular disease characterized by substantial head pain and sensitivity to light and noise. Many people who suffer from migraine are incapacitated for hours to days and are unable to perform routine physical or mental activities. Women are affected by migraine three times as often as men.

Nearly 30 percent of migraine sufferers do not consult a healthcare provider. To manage migraine, it's important to get care early. Otherwise, the condition may become chronic. This usually refers to patients who experience headache more than 15 days per month. Risk factors for chronic migraine include having more than two migraine attacks per month, overuse of painkillers, head trauma, being female, obesity or habitual snoring. Treatment is complex, and includes more than just medication.

To learn more about migraine treatment, call The Headache Center at Northern Nevada Medical Group at 352-5300.

Watch for Possible Warning Signs of Stroke

Stroke can present in many different ways, so initial warning signs can be hard for patients to recognize, says Jonathan Spivack, MD, a neurologist at Northern Nevada Medical Group. Warning signs may include the sudden onset of the following:
  • Numbness/tingling or weakness in the face, arms or legs, typically on one side of the body
  • Confusion or difficulty talking or understanding
  • Vision changes, including double vision or difficulty seeing normally in one or both eyes
  • Loss of coordination while walking, using the arms or legs, or dizziness/vertigo
  • Severe headache with no known cause

Did You Know?

The Heart & Vascular Institute at NNMC features board-certified neurologists who can care for acute stroke patients and people with cerebrovascular disease. The team, which includes neurologists Aaron Heide, MD, Stephen Raps, MD, and Dr. Spivack, is available 24 hours a day to serve you. Treatment also is available for:
  • Headache disorders
  • Memory disorders and dementia
  • Stroke and cerebrovascular disease
  • Movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease
  • Epilepsy and seizure disorders
  • Inflammatory diseases, including multiple sclerosis
  • Neuropathy and muscle diseases