Utahns receive fastest stroke treatment in the nation, data finds

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — New data from the American Heart Association’s “Get with the Guidelines” database shows that Utahns are getting the fastest treatment in the nation for stroke care.

Strokes, which happen when a part of the brain is damaged due to an issue with blood flow, are the fifth

leading cause of death in the United States.

Intermountain Health shared in a press release that with state-of-the-art medications and innovative treatment protocols that “utilize multi-disciplinary medical teams to mobilize immediate care for stroke patients and close coordination with first responders,” its hospitals contribute to this #1 placement.

According to the AHA’s “Get With The Guidelines” database, 94.5% of stroke patients at Intermountain Health stroke centers — Intermountain Medical Center, McKay Dee, St. George, and Utah Valley Hospitals — receive life-saving medication that dissolves blood clots within 45 minutes or less of their arrival at an emergency department.

Quick medical treatment during a stroke is imperative in determining a positive outcome. If a stroke does occur, there are treatments available to prevent long-term brain injury, which are focused on restoring blood flow to the brain to prevent tissue from dying due to a lack of blood flow.

These include a blood clot-dissolving medication, known as tPA, and a procedure that uses a catheter to pull blood clots out of larger arteries in the brain. Both can reduce potential disability, but are time sensitive.

“During a stroke, every minute that passes leads to irreversible brain injury and to more severe long-term symptoms for patients,” said Paul Johnson, MD, Intermountain Health stroke neurologist and medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Program at the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

“Neurologists often say that ‘time is brain’ as a reminder that any delay in treatment leads to a loss of brain function. Our ‘time is brain’ mantra focuses everything we do on getting patients the right care, as quickly as possible.” 

Ted’s experience

Early 2024, Ed “Ted” Itchon found himself disoriented and on the floor when he went to use the bathroom at 2 a.m.

His wife, Ann, heard a commotion and entered the bathroom to find Ted on the floor, face down and groaning in pain.

“She asked me a question. I tried to tell her what happened, and I couldn’t. All I could remember was hearing me mumbling. That was it,” Ted recalled to ABC4.

Quickly, Ann called 911.

Paramedics arrived soon after at the Itchon home in West Valley City and noticed Ted’s left side of his face was drooping and his entire left side was paralyzed. They could tell he was having a stroke, and he was rushed to the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

At the hospital, a specialized stroke team led by Dr. Johnson administered tPA medication to dissolve the blood clot in his brain.

Ted was taken into surgery, where a thrombectomy was conducted to remove the blood clot in his brain.

Intermountain Health said that Ted is one of several patients to have a successful and relatively speedy recovery from the quick response, as well as speech, physical therapy, and acupuncture for some effects the stroke left on his foot.

The Itchons shared they are grateful for the team that saved Ted’s life.

“It was fantastic that everyone reacted so quickly — from the fire department to the doctors,” said Ann. “Ted was already given the blood clot medicine and was being prepped for surgery by the time I arrived at the hospital. They caught the stroke really fast.”

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the doctors and the staff,” Ted said. “They were fantastic.”

The Intermountain Health neurosciences team said it’s focused on continuing to improve outcomes for stroke patients, adding that for every second a person is experiencing a stroke, 32,000 neurons die.

“Protocols and policies are continuously being improved to make treatment more efficient,” said Dr. Johnson. “In recent years, they have changed the workflow in the emergency department to expedite CT imaging, as well as procedures for preparing and administering clot-busting medications.”

Intermountain Health also said that Intermountain Medical Center is one of the few large hospitals in the country that evaluates stroke patients by attending neurologists 24/7.

Intermountain Health said that over 88% of patients receive treatment in 30 minutes or less, compared to 58% for other Joint Commission Certified comprehensive stroke centers. They said that in 2024, the median door-to-needle time was 22.5 minutes, compared to 34 minutes for other comprehensive centers. 

“Faster treatment of a stroke leads to better outcomes, but doing so safely requires the collaboration of many different teams and health care providers, ranging from medics to Emergency Medicine doctors, nurses, and stroke neurologists,” said Dr. Johnson. “At Intermountain Health, we are proud that our stroke program and high-quality care have contributed to the overall success in the state.”