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Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have a life-threatening illness or injury.
Stroke Care
World-class stroke care and rehabilitation
Stroke Care at Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals
A stroke is a disruption of blood flow to part of the brain. This causes the brain cells near the disruption to die because they do not get the oxygen they need from the blood.
Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals are designated as Primary Stroke Service hospitals and members of both the American Heart Association: Get with the Guidelines Program and Coverdale Collaborative initiatives. The Stroke Program encompasses a multi-faceted approach to care. It includes:
Community education on the risk factors, signs and symptoms of stroke, and the importance of calling 911 when stroke symptoms are present
An exceptional team of physicians, nurses and staff who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are trained to diagnose stroke and administer the most effective life- and brain-saving treatment quickly.
Help for individuals who need to manage stroke risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.
Ongoing monitoring, care and counseling for patients who have had a stroke.
Full range of outpatient-based rehabilitative services for the neurologically impaired, including speech, occupational and physical therapy services.
If you or someone you know is experiencing stroke symptoms, proceed to the nearest emergency room or contact 911 immediately.
Award-Winning Stroke Care
We have been recognized by both the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association for excellence in stroke care. We have also received awards for ensuring that stroke patients are treated according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.
We are a Department of Public Health designated Primary Stroke Service hospital and a member of both the American Heart Association: Get with the Guidelines Program and Coverdall Collaborative initiatives.
More About Stroke Care
Stroke Continuum of Care
Stroke care experts at Beverly Hospital provide the full range of stroke support, from the emergency room to treatment, rehabilitation and beyond.
Risks of Stroke
Stroke care experts at Beverly Hospital want patients to learn about the risks that can lead to stroke, including ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke.
Signs of Stroke
Learn about the signs and warnings to look for that may indicate a stroke. Learn more.
Types of Stroke
Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked temporarily. TIA causes stroke symptoms that last for a short time, then go away. This is why TIAs are called “mini-strokes.” Having a TIA means there is a problem that should be corrected.
TIAs are a warning that a more serious stroke may occur. One-third of all stroke patients had TIA symptoms before their stroke. To prevent a future stroke, you must get treatment for a TIA.
Ischemic Stroke
Ischemic Strokes account for 87% of all strokes.
Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked and blood flow is stopped. The blockage may be from a blood clot.
A clot that forms in an artery is called a thrombus. A clot that forms in the heart or an artery leading to the brain is an embolus.
In ischemic stroke, the clot travels to the brain and blocks a brain artery. Oxygen is then reduced or completely cut off to that part of the brain.
Hemorrhagic Stroke
Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by a weakened vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain. The blood accumulates and compresses the surrounding brain tissue. As a result, brain cells in the affected area die.
Hemorrhagic strokes make up about 13% of stroke cases.
Types of Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Intracerebral hemorrhage: A small artery in the brain can break and spill blood into nearby brain tissue. Brain cells in the area are destroyed. This stroke is called an intracerebral hemorrhage, or “ICH” for short. High blood pressure is usually the cause of this type of stroke.
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage: A large artery in the brain may become weak. It may stretch out, like a balloon filling with water. The “balloon” is called an aneurysm. The aneurysm may break, spilling blood into the space between the brain tissue and the membrane that covers the brain. This membrane is called the arachnoid membrane. The stroke is called a subarachnoid hemorrhage, or “SAH” for short.
Quality Improvement Initiatives
Beverly Hospital participates in three distinct quality improvement initiatives related to stroke care. Together, they allow us to evaluate and improve stroke care more efficiently and comprehensively. We also work to improve stroke care in a coordinated way with both state and national programs.
- Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Program (GWTG). Beverly Hospital participates in the GWTG program. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) developed this program with the goals of:
- Improving the quality of care and outcomes for stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Promoting consistent adherence to the latest scientific treatment guidelines
- Serving as a scientific resource for new information
- Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program. The Coverdell Program is a federally funded quality improvement program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and developed with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. This collaboration is a cutting-edge approach to reducing disability related to stroke. The Coverdell program assists us in achieving established benchmarks in stroke care through:
- Coordinated approach to emergency care
- Hospital interventions
- Primary and secondary prevention
Primary Stroke Service Hospital (PSS). Beverly Hospital has been designated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a Primary Stroke Service Hospital. This means that we are capable of providing emergency stroke care 24/7. Our stroke team can respond to acute Stroke patients to make a rapid determination regarding the efficacy of thrombolytics.
Stroke Survivor Support Group
The Gloucester Stroke Club meets on the first Wednesday of each month from 10:30 – 11:30 am. The group is held free of charge and pre-registration is not necessary.
For more information, please call 978-922-3000 ext. 2235 or email Diana Gertsch.
Stroke Survivorship Garden
Services & Specialties
