Stroke Unit - Every Minute Counts

Three symptoms of a stroke are:

1. The inability to smile or the production of an abnormal smile.

2. The inability to raise the arms.

3. The inability to speak a simple sentence.

!!!!!!!!! If anyone you know is suddenly unable to do any of these things, the first thing you should do is rush him or her to the Stroke Unit. Every minute counts for stroke patients.

The Stroke Unit at Al Ain Hospital

The Stroke Unit of Al Ain Hospital is the first of its kind in the UAE and has been established in cooperation with the University's Medical Faculty staff. By integrating the emergency department, radiology and a multidisciplinary team of staff, the unit is able to deliver world-class stroke management services.
A stroke or brain attack is similar to a heart attack, both being a result of diseases affecting the blood vessels carrying the pure blood. It is the leading cause of disability in the world in terms of paralysis, speech problems, imbalance, visual problems and unconsciousness. A stroke is a preventable and treatable catastrophe.
Strokes are a major health threat in the UAE due to exceptionally high incidences of diabetes and high blood pressure. There is also no real awareness of the disease, no proper control of high levels of sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, and unhealthy habits, such as smoking, are spreading.

Goals of the Unit:

The early detection and management of strokes

The application of preventive measures and education

The main philosophy is to deploy a highly-skilled team of healthcare professionals acting in coordination to achieve the best possible outcomes for stroke patients, both at the acute phase and afterwards.

Scope of Services

Like a medical ward, ICU or CCU, a stroke unit is a clearly dedicated area in the hospital where acute stroke patients receive focused intensive care and treatment. This is a team effort involving neurologists, stroke nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists, social workers, cardiologists, neurosurgeons, radiologists and specialist rehabilitation staff.

1. Providing 24-hour expert care to stroke patients.
2. After careful evaluation, a few patients may be selected to receive specific drugs that can dissolve the clot (thickened blood) causing the obstruction of blood flow to the brain
3. Creating public awareness about strokes and preventive measures.
4. Building a stroke registry to illustrate the magnitude of the problem. This will also encourage future research with specific emphasis on the nature of the disease in this country.
5. Continuous educational programmes for general doctors and the public.
6. Help in developing stroke units in other hospitals.

Departmental Staff

The Stroke unit is staffed by experienced physicians and the nurses are trained by Charité University Hospital in Berlin

Head of Department

Dr. Nagi Amin Moussa, FRCP (London) FRCP (Glasgow), Consultant Neurologist
Email: nmoussa@alain-hospital.ae