If a mouth suddenly droops, one arm goes weak or speech is slurred, call 120 (China's ambulance number) at once; don't wait and don't drive there yourself
- Top value
- Evidence A
- Buys life
- Free
- Takes minutes
- No willpower
In a real emergency, call 911 first, then read this.
In plain words
If the mouth droops, one arm can't be raised, or speech is slurred, call 120 (China's ambulance number) at once. When a clot-dissolving drug is given to open the blocked vessel within 3 hours of onset, the chance of recovering to mostly looking after yourself is about 1.75 times that of no drug. If it is delayed to 3 to 4.5 hours, it is only 1.26 times. After 4.5 hours no difference can be seen. Note the exact time the symptoms started. Don't give food, water or pills, and don't drive yourself.
- Cost
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Free. There are three actions, and you can learn them in one reading: have the person smile, raise both arms straight out, and say a full sentence.
- What you get
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A combined analysis (meta-analysis) of individual data from 6,756 patients in 16 randomized trials of intravenous thrombolysis. Intravenous thrombolysis means giving a drug to open a blocked vessel. With alteplase given within 3 hours of onset, the odds ratio for recovering to mostly looking after yourself (modified Rankin Scale score 0–1) was 1.75, 95% CI 1.35–2.27 (confidence interval, the range the true value likely falls in). This outcome was about 1.75 times as likely as with no thrombolysis. At 3 to 4.5 hours it was 1.26 (1.05–1.51). After 4.5 hours it was 1.15 (0.95–1.40), which can no longer be told apart statistically
- Notes
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The earlier thrombolysis is given, the better it works, and after 4.5 hours it is basically useless. The reason to call 120 and not drive yourself is that the ambulance goes straight to a hospital with a stroke center and notifies it in advance to get ready. Note the exact time the symptoms started, because the doctor uses it to decide whether thrombolysis is possible. Don't give food, water or pills, and don't wait to "rest and see."
- Evidence grade
- A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.
- Sources
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- Emberson J, Lees KR, Lyden P, et al. (2014). Effect of treatment delay, age, and stroke severity on the effects of intravenous thrombolysis with alteplase for acute ischaemic stroke: a meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomised trials. Lancet, 384(9958), 1929-1935. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60584-5
Mentioned in
- Don't count on an AI chatbot to judge your illness or legal problem on its own; before seeing a doctor, going to court or spending big money, find the original source for what it cites and check it
- If there is sudden spinning dizziness with unsteadiness, double vision, blackout in one eye, or the fingertip can't reach your own nose, treat it as a stroke and call 120 (China's ambulance number)
Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 13, tip 3. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer