Stroke Treatment

Identifying your stroke 

Your journey to stroke treatment and recovery begins the moment you come to Astera. When you enter the Astera Emergency Department, our team begins diagnostic testing. These tests help determine what type of stroke you’re experiencing, which can be: 

• Hemorrhagic stroke. A blood vessel in the brain bursts. Blood then leaks in or around the brain, putting excess pressure on the brain and causing potential brain damage. 
• Ischemic stroke. Blood clots or plaque (fatty deposits) block blood in the carotid artery or other arteries, preventing oxygen-rich blood from reaching the brain. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. 
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA). Also called a ministroke, a TIA indicates you have a high risk of stroke in the future. Managing high cholesterol and high blood pressure can help reduce the risk of a TIA becoming a full-blown stroke in the days and years to come. 

Telestroke: High-tech stroke care 

To ensure quick and accurate stroke diagnosis and response times, Astera partners with the CentraCare Neurosciences Stroke Center through our Telestroke services. Telestroke provides immediate access to St. Cloud Hospital’s team of neurologists.  

Working alongside our team, CentraCare neurologists use video technology to evaluate and review diagnostic imaging scans of Astera patients. The neurologists use this information to help determine the presence of a stroke. Depending on the results, they then prescribe treatment to prevent long-term stroke complications. 

Comprehensive stroke treatment

The specific approach to managing and recovering from a stroke is influenced by the type of stroke someone experiences.  

Treatment options for ischemic stroke include: 

• Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The go-to treatment for ischemic stroke, tPA dissolves blood clots. It must be administered no more than four and a half hours after the first stroke symptom. The team at Astera provides this treatment when appropriate. 

• Blood-thinning medication. If you can’t benefit from tPA, you may receive aspirin or other blood thinners. Along with lifestyle changes, blood thinners may also help following a TIA. Because one of the main side effects is an increased risk of bleeding, blood thinners aren’t prescribed for hemorrhagic strokes. 
• Surgical intervention. Surgery may be necessary to regain blood flow to the brain. Options include carotid endarterectomy (removing plaque buildup) and angioplasty and stenting (opening the clogged artery and placing a mesh tube to keep the artery open). 

Hemorrhagic stroke treatment includes: 

• Medication to stop bleeding and lower your blood pressure 
• Surgery to close off the ruptured blood vessel, stop blood flow to the ruptured area, or relieve swelling in the skull 

Certified stroke services 

If you or someone you love experiences a stroke, come to Astera with confidence. We’re recognized as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital (ASRH) thanks to our quality of care, from diagnosis to treatment to stroke rehabilitation. 

Awarded by The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, ASRH certification indicates that we’re equipped to do the following: 

• Quickly assess patients for stroke 
• Stabilize stroke patients in preparation for on-site treatment or transfer  
• Provide lifesaving tPA in a safe, timely manner 

Learn more about the Emergency Department at Astera Health.