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Edward C. Jauch, MD, MS, FACEP, FAHA

Professor and Chair,
Department of Emergency Medicine, and Professor, Department of Neurosciences
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, SC

Dr. Jauch is Professor and Director, Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, Associate Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine, Professor in the Department of Neurosciences, faculty on the MUSC Comprehensive Stroke Program and Director of Acute Stroke Trials at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and adjunct Professor of Bioengineering, Clemson University.

Prior to medicine, Dr. Jauch completed graduate training in bioengineering at Cornell University and was a faculty member in the Orthopedic Surgery Departments at the University of Kansas and the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Jauch completed medical school and emergency medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati, after which he joined the faculty in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke team at the University of Cincinnati in 1997. Dr. Jauch was
recruited to MUSC in 2008 to help develop the Residency Program in Emergency Medicine, assist in the creation of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at MUSC, help establish MUSC's REACH Telemedicine Program (a state-wide acute stroke telemedicine network to improve rapid diagnosis and treatment), and co-direct the development of a state-wide stroke system of care through the South Carolina Department of Health.

Dr. Jauch is well known in the field of acute stroke research, leading or participating in numerous Phase II and III clinical stroke trials over the past 16 years. These studies have led to new approaches to managing patients with acute ischemic stroke and other forms of neurologic emergencies. He has over 140 publications, mostly in the area of neurologic emergencies. More recently, Dr. Jauch was awarded a pilot grant from MUSC's NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award to explore barriers, facilitators, and recommended intervention strategies to improve access to stroke care in a southern rural community, using a community-based participatory research approach. Dr. Jauch also serves as the PI for the SC-CoAST network hub of the new NIH StrokeNet network. Dr. Jauch has served on numerous NIH committees related to developing research in emergency medicine and developing research networks for neurologic emergencies.

Dr. Jauch is active in numerous national organizations. Dr. Jauch serves as the immediate past Chair of Stroke Council for the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) and primary author for the new Acute Ischemic Stroke guidelines. He is a coauthor on the flagship AHA/ASA guidelines for telemedicine use in stroke, primary prevention of stroke, prehospital care of stroke, and stroke systems of care. Dr. Jauch has guided the creation of numerous educational programs for the AHA/ASA and works nationally and regionally in advocating for improved stroke care and access to stroke care for all Americans. Dr. Jauch has served in several leadership roles for the American College of Emergency Physicians, the South Carolina College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Medicine Foundation. Dr. Jauch also serves on several national committees related to stroke care, including the Joint Commission Technical Advisory Committees on Comprehensive Stroke Centers and Primary Stroke Centers. Collectively these efforts have strived to improve access to care, increasing the quality of acute stroke care, and educating both the general public and healthcare professionals on developing delivery systems for optimal stroke management.

Full Bio
Brain stroke
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Prevent Permanent Stroke Damage

Ask the Expert

Q:

Is it possible to prevent damage from stroke? I've heard that it’s really only a matter of minutes before the damage is done. How can it be possible to get help in time?

A:

When you suffer a stroke, the part of the brain that is no longer receiving blood often stops functioning properly. Depending on what section of the brain is affected, this can lead to difficulty speaking, paralysis, or vision and memory loss.

Until the mid-1990s, few therapies existed to prevent permanent stroke damage. But that changed in 1996 when the FDA approved a drug that, when delivered within three hours of symptom onset, can potentially minimize the effects of a stroke. Any delay in administering this drug could mean the difference between a full recovery and permanent disability. Other treatment options for stroke include specialized devices that physicians can use to eliminate the blood clot. These interventions also are time-sensitive and must be administered within a specific time frame after the first symptoms of stroke are noticed.

Despite the potentially serious consequences of a stroke and the availability of effective treatment, only about half of people who experience stroke symptoms seek care, and women are three times more likely than men to delay going to the hospital. Researchers suggest that this is largely due to the fact that women are less familiar with both their risk factors and warning signs of stroke.

Two key steps are needed to minimize the damage of a stroke. The first is to recognize the warning signs. These include the sudden onset of:

  • Numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
  • Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding others
  • Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
  • Dizziness, loss of coordination or balance, or trouble walking
  • Severe headache with no obvious cause

The second step to minimizing stroke damage is to have a plan of action. This plan should include calling 9-1-1 at the first sign of symptoms, and getting to a hospital emergency department immediately for assessment and treatment.

Once you arrive at the hospital, it is important to clearly convey your symptoms to the emergency department physician. A physical exam will be performed and your medical history will be recorded. If emergency medical staff suspect a stroke, they may perform several diagnostic tests.

If a stroke is confirmed due to a blood clot, medication may be prescribed. By reaching the hospital promptly, you can greatly increase your chances of reducing the disability caused by stroke.

This content was produced with the support of a grant by Genentech.

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