"Time is brain." That's the mantra of Decatur Memorial Hospital's stroke team. The faster a person or his or her caretakers realize that a stroke is happening and get to the hospital for life-saving treatments, the better patient outcomes they can expect.

Treatment for stroke should begin with emergency medical services, said Karen Schneller, administrative director of Decatur Memorial Hospital's emergency care center. "If stroke symptoms are present, then the patient should call 911."

Stroke symptoms can include sudden difficulty in speaking, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, confusion, facial drooping or visual changes, members of the DMH stroke team said.

Those who think they might be experiencing a stroke should not wait, drive themselves to the hospital or ask a loved one to drive, Schneller said. Paramedics can get a patient history and pinpoint the time stroke symptoms originated, which is crucial in providing appropriate treatment. Patients at DMH's stroke center are fast-tracked through the emergency room so that their candidacy for certain medications and procedures can be assessed.

"The emphasis is trying to get patients to the hospital early on," DMH neurologist Dr. Anthony Collins said.

Collins, a member of the hospital's stroke team, said stroke prevention is key in high-risk patients. Those with risk factors such as high cholesterol, smoking, poorly managed weight, diabetes and hypertension should work to modify their habits and activity levels to decrease their risks, Collins said.

"Anything that seems abnormal, they should have checked," Schneller said. "Strokes are funny in that they can (be) present with something that's just a little bit bothersome and very quickly progress to something that's debilitating."

Annie Getsinger can be reached at agetsinger@herald-review.com or 421-6968.