Help Us Save A Life…Yours

Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center Designated Primary Stroke Center.

Stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Also known as a brain attack, stroke is the No. 3 cause of death, right behind heart disease and cancer, and the No. 1 cause of long-term disability. According to the American Stroke Association, an estimated 600,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year, and an estimated 160,000 of those individuals will die.

At Heart of Florida, our team of professionals is dedicated to improving the recovery rates for our stroke patients through rapid response, a team approach, a standardized plan of care, family support, rehabilitation and an ongoing educational effort about stroke.

Offering the continuity of care that is already a hallmark for other Heart of Florida programs, patients entering our stroke program receive specialized attention from their first contacts with EMS or their initial steps through our Emergency Department doors.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he or she correctly repeat the sentence?
• Time: Call 911 immediately. Time lost is brain lost.