TIM eMagazine Vol.3 Issue 8
In the US, the acronym to remember is FAST, for Face, Arm, Speech and
Time
When you see these signs, Dr. Soliven says it’s time to rush the person to the hospital.
She adds that the patient should be in the hospital within one to four hours of the attack. If
not, the stroke can worsen. The blood clot can spread and the medicine can’t do its work.
Besides, the patient must first undergo a series of tests, like MRI, CT Scan and others to help the
doctor and his staff determine the right course of action to take.
This is where the value of ENLS comes in. It consists of 14 protocols health care providers
should follow during emergencies. These consist of Acute Ischemic Stroke, Acute Non-
traumatic Weakness, Airway, Ventilation, and Sedation, Approach to the Patient with Coma,
Intracerebral Hemorrhage, Intracranial Hypertension and Herniation, Meningitis and Encephalitis,
Pharmacotherapy, Resuscitation Following Cardiac Arrest, Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Spinal Cord
Compression, Status Epilepticus, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Traumatic Spine Injury.
ENLS training is important because it allows health care providers to detect what causes an
emergency – say a stroke. This way, they can recommend what steps must be taken (e.g. CT scan) or
what kind of health specialist is needed to help the patient as soon as possible, because every minute
counts.
“What happens to the patient depends on what is given to him during the first hour of the
emergency,” says Dr. Soliven. This makes ENLS crucial in saving or prolonging lives.
Last year, TMC trained 322 doctors, nurses, and other allied healthcare professionals in a two-day ENLS
symposium that turned out to be the most well-attended around the world, and which impressed the
representatives from the US-based Neurocritical Care Society.
Dr. Soliven and her team are more inspired than ever to push for ENLS
certification for as many health care providers as possible.
“We dream of seeing the country mature as far as neurological emergency is
concerned,” she says.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended
She wants to propose a plan for network hospitals (e.g. TMC Pangasinan,
to be used as a substitute for professional
TMC Clark, etc.) to apply standardized neurocritical care during emergencies.
Dr. Soliven knows the country only has 100 neurosurgeons to take care of
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If
the rising cases of dementia, stroke, and other ailments involving the body’s
you or someone you know have any of the
neurons. The country needs more health providers to look into these cases.
Here’s where the need for ENLS is a crucial as ever.
symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable
Who knows, the life you save may be your own, or that of your loved one.
to seek professional help.
www.themedicalcity.com
For more information about ENLS, you may call the Department of Neurology
at 9881000 ext. 6270.
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