A simple 15-minute test could help stroke patients receive faster treatment, improving their chances of avoiding brain damage and long-term disabilities. Ambulance crews in Cambridgeshire are currently trialling a finger-prick blood test to diagnose the most severe type of stroke.
Early data suggests the test could be “up to twice as effective as relying on patients’ symptoms alone,” according to Patient Safety Learning. Similar to the lateral flow tests (LFTs) used during Covid, this test can determine whether a suspected stroke patient has experienced a large vessel occlusion (LVO).
As explained by Dr Xand van Tulleken on BBC Morning Live this week, this occurs when a blood clot blocks a major artery in the brain. This can affect things like speech and movement, and take a long time to recover.
The study that’s looking into the trial stresses: “For every 15‐minute reduction from stroke onset to EVT (endovascular thrombectomy) treatment, there is a 3.9% decrease in long‐term disability; 2.5 times more patients also achieve functional independence.”
A stroke requires immediate medical attention in a hospital as it can be life-threatening. The expert explained that when blood flow to the brain is blocked, a significant portion of the brain is at risk. He said: “It’s a big bit of the brain that’s under threat and although they only account for 30% of strokes, it’s about 95% of deaths and 60% of disabilities caused by these large vessel occlusions.”
The doctor also highlighted that only 24 hospitals in the UK are equipped to perform certain clot-removal procedures. For those who do not live near a facility offering thrombectomy treatment, the average travel time between hospitals is around three hours. This delay increases the risk of irreversible brain cell damage, leading to long-term health complications.
This means a patient’s chances of recovery are at risk. “Early identification of LVO strokes by ambulance clinicians could offer opportunities for fast-tracking patients to thrombectomy-capable hospitals, avoiding delays to care when taken to other non-specialist hospitals,” said Larissa Prothero, an advanced research paramedic at the East of England ambulance service NHS trust (EEAST), which is involved in the study.
Talking during his appearance on the BBC show, Doctor Xand said to remember ‘FAST’. This stands for:
- Face weak
- Arm weakness
- Speech problems
- Time to call 999
Other symptoms of a stroke
There are other signs that you or someone else is having a stroke. These include:
- weakness or numbness down 1 side of your body
- blurred vision or loss of sight in 1 or both eyes
- finding it difficult to speak or think of words
- confusion and memory loss
- feeling dizzy or falling over
- a severe headache
- feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
This acronym covers “all types of strokes” with Dr Xand continuing: “Call 999 quickly” and don’t wait around.