Novant Health is nationally recognized for exceptional emergency stroke care. Our hospitals in Charlotte, Huntersville and Matthews are certified Primary Stroke Centers, and Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte became the area’s first hospital to earn this distinction. Primary Stroke Center certification is awarded by The Joint Commission, the country’s leading accrediting organization for improving healthcare.
Our stroke centers are staffed by emergency medicine doctors and nurses who specialize in stroke care and are in the hospital 24 hours a day. Additionally, our team includes neurologists, neurointerventional radiologists and neurosurgeons who work closely with emergency staff to deliver lifesaving care.
Stroke treatment is most effective when started immediately. If you or someone you know experiences the warning signs of a stroke, call 911 and ask to be taken to a Novant Health hospital in Charlotte, Matthews or Huntersville immediately. When you arrive, our highly-trained stroke team will work together to evaluate you or your loved one and determine which treatment will be the most effective.
Some examples of emergency stroke treatments include:
Intra-arterial thrombolytic administration
Intra-arterial thrombolytic administration is a new technique for patients who have blood clots as a result of an ischemic stroke. Doctors insert a tiny catheter through a small incision in the groin and thread it into the brain to the site of the clot, where clot-dissolving drugs such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) are delivered. If done within three hours after a stroke, this procedure has a high success rate, with 40 percent of stroke patients having few or no disabilities following treatment.
Treatments to control or reduce brain swelling
Special types of intravenous (IV) fluids are often used to help reduce or control brain swelling, especially after a hemorrhagic stroke (a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain).
Craniotomy
A craniotomy is a type of brain surgery for critically ill stroke patients. It is performed to remove blood clots and treat brain swelling related to strokes.
Learn more about our hospital emergency departments »