Citizens Stroke Center

Citizens Stroke Center is an award-winning certified primary stroke center invaluable to the residents in and around Victoria, Texas. We are equipped to identify a stroke and take quick action to mitigate stroke effects and received the Stroke Gold Plus Award recognizing Citizens Medical Center’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

Citizens Medical Center stays up-to-date with stroke research and procedures that speed recovery and reduce death and disability for stroke patients. We have implemented measures that reduce the time from when the patient enters the hospital and when they receive treatment. After the immediate threat is dealt with, we offer education and support to stroke patients and their families on how to manage risk factors, warning signs of stroke, and proper use of stroke medications.

A stroke is a serious condition that needs immediate medical attention. It is now the third leading cause of death in individuals and the number one cause of disability. During a stroke, the brain loses oxygen so that every minute lost before treatment equals brain tissue lost. Could you identify a person having a stroke? Recognizing the symptoms and seeking immediate medical attention can lessen the effects of stroke if treatment is provided within three hours of the first symptom.

If you suspect that someone may be experiencing a stroke, do not delay. Immediately call 911.

The National Stroke Association uses the F.A.S.T. test to identify stroke symptoms.

F.A.S.T. stands for:

• F = FACE

  • Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face drop?

• A = ARM

  • Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

• S = SPEECH

  • Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does their speech sound slurred or strange?

• T = TIME

  • React quickly. If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call 911 to get to the nearest hospital. 

CERTIFIED PRIMARY STROKE CENTER

Citizens Medical Center is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by DNV. This certification is for medium and larger capacity hospitals, which admit most patients treated in their facilities, and which, also, serve as receiving hospitals for patients treated in ASR facilities.

A Primary Stroke Center (PSC) has the necessary staffing, infrastructure and programs to stabilize and treat most emergent stroke patients. In addition to possessing the capabilities of an ASR facility, a PSC can provide treatment to a broader range of stroke conditions and is able to provide some acute therapies, as well as admit patients to a designated stroke unit or to beds, specifically assigned for stroke care.

Additional functions of a PSC may be to act as a resource center for other facilities in their region, including being a main transfer site for stabilized patients from an ASR. This can include offering guidance for triage of patients, providing expertise about managing particular cases, making diagnostic tests or treatments available to patients treated initially at an ASR, and being an educational resource for other hospitals and health care professionals in a city or region.

GOLD PLUS ACCREDITED HOSPITAL

As a Gold Plus accredited hospital, Citizens Medical Center is recognized for our exceptional level of expertise in rapidly diagnosing strokes and providing effective treatments based on the latest research and the highest standards of care.

• Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is an intravenous medicine given for ischemic stroke – a stroke caused by a blood clot – that can dissolve the stroke-causing clot. 

• One of the measurements to achieve this level of accreditation is the time it takes to administer TPA, also known as the Door to Needle Time.