Failure to timely treat Strokes in the ER

The failure to timely treat strokes in the ER is a common problem in this country. I have been successful in obtaining a jury verdict against a hospital for their failure to provide clot busting drugs with in the 3 hour window of opportunity. Kentucky has a high number of strokes patients. see below.

 

Age Adjusted Stroke Mortality Rate (1991-1998)

Ranking State Avg. Annual Deaths

(per 100,000 people)

1

South Carolina 169

2

Arkansas 163

3

Tennessee 156

4

North Carolina 155

5

Georgia 146

6

Mississippi 140

7

Indiana 138

8

Virginia 137

9

Alabama 135

10

Louisiana 133

10

Kentucky 133

**** National Average 121

*** Ranking of 1 denotes the highest stroke mortality rate.

Sources:

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and American,

http://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/library/maps/index.htm

Mitchell Perry and Edward Roccella, “Conference Report on Stroke Mortality in the

Southeastern United States,” Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart

Association, 1998.