GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Strokes are one of the top five causes of death in the country, but a West Michigan hospital is working double time to try to fight the problem.
Doctors at Spectrum Health’s comprehensive stroke center, the only one in the Grand Rapids area, told 24 Hour News that strokes are the most preventable cause of disability. That’s why the center has worked to reduce the time it takes from when a stroke patient arrives at the emergency room to the time they start their procedure.
Officials at the comprehensive stroke center explained they have trimmed that average time down from 180 minutes to 74 minutes.
It’s a change stroke survivors like David McIntee deeply appreciate.
McIntee is an avid bicycle rider. It was somewhat ironic that preparing for a race on his two wheels turned into a life-threatening race against time.
“I was packing to go to a bike race,” the Grand Rapids man said.
He said that while he was packing, he thought he felt vertigo symptoms setting in. Focused on his upcoming race, he shrugged it off initially. Then, he said he began shaking and having trouble moving.
McIntee’s wife quickly came home and called an ambulance.
“I really had no idea what it was at that point,” he explained. “When they took a look, one of the EMTs said, ‘This is a stroke.’”