The take-home message is not only early intervention but education and teamwork
I was due to fly out to the United States the next morning. I was bending down to clean the floor of my car when it happened. First my right hand wouldn’t respond and I fumbled picking up a spoon from the floor, then my right leg wouldn’t support my weight. I tried to call out to my wife but only grunts came out, except of course the f-word when I knew what had happened.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
- 1. Saver JL, Levine SR. Alteplase for ischaemic stroke — much sooner is much better. Lancet 2010; 375: 1667-1668.
- 2. Lees KR, Bluhmki E, von Kummer R, et al. Time to treatment with intravenous Alteplase and outcome in stroke: an updated pooled analysis of ECASS, ATLANTIS, NINDS, and EPITHET trials. Lancet 2010; 375: 1695-1703.
- 3. American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma. ATLS: advanced trauma life support for doctors. Student course manual. 8th ed. Chicago: American College of Surgeons, 2008: xvii.
- 4. Druitt S. What kind of ambulance is this? Pract Neurol 2010; 10: 152-154.
Thank you to the two paramedics, the ED, Stroke Unit and Heart Centre staff at The Alfred, and my wife.
I was successively a medical student and surgical trainee at The Alfred from 1971 to 1981, and a consultant trauma surgeon from 1987 to 1999. I am a member of the Content Review Committee for the Medical Journal of Australia.