Kootenai Health urges fast action when stroke symptoms appear

A stroke can begin with a face that suddenly droops, an arm that will not lift or words that come out wrong. In Kootenai County, Kootenai Health urges residents to call 911 immediately, because the first 10 minutes can shape what happens next, and the first hour can be decisive.

What to watch for right away

The easiest way to remember the warning signs is BE FAST, a checklist built for the moments when people are most likely to hesitate. Balance problems, sudden trouble seeing, face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and the need to call 911 are the signs that should trigger an emergency response even if only one appears.

• Balance: sudden dizziness, stumbling or a new inability to walk normally.
• Eyes: sudden vision loss, blurred vision or trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.
• Face drooping: one side of the mouth or face sags when a person smiles.
• Arm weakness: one arm drifts down or will not lift evenly.
• Speech difficulty: slurred, garbled or confused speech.
• Time: do not wait to see if it improves, call 911.

That last step matters because symptoms can appear briefly, worsen quickly or be mistaken for fatigue, confusion or a migraine. Even one symptom is enough to treat the situation as a medical emergency.

What to do in the first 10 minutes

If stroke is suspected, the next move should be the same whether the person is at home, at work or in a parking lot in Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Rathdrum or a rural part of Kootenai County: call 911 right away. Some treatments can only be given within a limited window after symptoms start, Madeline Trusdell, Kootenai Health’s stroke program coordinator, said, which is why delays can change the outcome dramatically.

Do not drive yourself or have someone else rush you in a private vehicle. Ambulance transport saves time because first responders can start assessing the patient on the way and alert the hospital before arrival, giving the emergency team time to prepare. That advance notice matters when minutes can determine whether a patient qualifies for treatment.

The most dangerous mistake is to wait. Stroke symptoms are often dismissed until they pass, but they should be treated as a medical emergency the moment they appear.

Why speed changes the treatment path

Stroke is a race against a clot or a bleed interrupting blood flow to the brain, and the treatment clock starts when symptoms begin, not when a patient reaches the hospital. IV alteplase or tenecteplase may improve recovery if given within 4.5 hours of stroke onset in eligible patients, according to the American Stroke Association. Mechanical thrombectomy should be done as soon as possible and can be appropriate within up to 24 hours for select patients with large clots.

There is no time to spare. The earlier the patient arrives, the more options doctors may have. Some patients arrive too late because they do not recognize the signs or do not call 911 immediately, Trusdell said, and that delay can close off the window for time-sensitive care.

If one arm is weak, if speech suddenly changes or if the face droops, the correct next step is not to watch and wait. It is to activate emergency medical services immediately.

Where stroke care is available in North Idaho

Kootenai Health is the region’s main stroke destination. Its Coeur d'Alene main campus is a 397-bed community-owned hospital, and it holds a Level II Stroke Center designation through Idaho’s Time Sensitive Emergency System. The three-year designation requires hospitals to meet benchmarks for rapid diagnosis, treatment, care and training.

The hospital is also the only Level II Stroke Center in North Idaho, which gives the local emergency system a central landing place for higher-acuity stroke cases. Hundreds of stroke patients a year are treated there, and smaller hospitals across the region transfer patients to Coeur d'Alene when they need a higher level of stroke care.

That regional role makes the ambulance decision even more important for residents in outlying parts of Kootenai County and nearby North Idaho communities. A 911 call can get a patient moving toward the right level of care faster than a self-ride, while the hospital prepares imaging, specialists and treatment space before the patient walks in the door.

Why Idaho keeps pushing the message

Idaho’s Department of Health and Welfare has made stroke prevention and recognition a formal public-health priority through Stroke Smart Idaho. Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and death in Idaho, and rapid recognition and treatment can significantly improve outcomes.

Nationally, stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC put stroke-related costs in the United States at nearly $56.2 billion in 2019 through 2020.