dr. Elbert Wiradarma, Sp.N (Neurologist) I dr. Berto (Hospital Director) I Thesalonika Alvina (Content Writer)

 

We know hospitals have their own codes for multiple emergency situations, whether it is an external emergency or an internal one. In this article, we are going to learn deeper into one of those emergency codes, which is “code stroke.”

What is Code Stroke?

Like its name, code stroke is an emergency protocol to run when somebody shows signs of stroke in the hospital. This protocol is designed to give help (triage, diagnose, until thrombotic therapy) as soon as possible, in <60 minutes.1 Reducing brain cell damage is a priority during this protocol. Based on this, stroke service is focused on the speed of a medical team to help a patient from diagnosing to treating the patient. 

Who is Involved in Code Stroke?

The team that will be involved in a code stroke protocol consisted of a neurologist, a radiologist, nurse, and a pharmacist. During this protocol, a patient will be given blood thinning medicines. One important thing to know, these blood thinning medicines will only be given if the stroke has happened in less than 4,5 hours. So, make sure you visit the nearest hospital since the first time a stroke symptom appeared.

How to Know a Patient’s Stroke Type?

This is where a radiologist came to help, they will check the patient using a CT scan or MRI. The decision whether to use these devices is up to each hospital; in Altius Hospitals we use MRI to make sure a patient is experiencing which kind of stroke.

The result of imaging devices is really important because there are differences between an ischemic stroke treatment and a hemorrhagic stroke: ischemic stroke treatment can use blood thinning medicines, while hemorrhagic stroke can’t.

Code Stroke Protocol Flow

The detailed code stroke protocol cannot be standardized across all hospitals, but the general steps usually include the following:

  1. Initial triage in the Emergency Department (ED) to confirm suspicion of stroke.

  2. The doctor performs a complete neurological examination and calculates the initial NIHSS score.

  3. If the patient is stable, they will be transferred for an MRI.

  4. MRI is performed to confirm the type of stroke.

  5. Treatment decisions or interventions are made based on the findings.

Reference

  1. Angels Initiative. (2026). Hyperacute resources | Angels Initiative. Angels-Initiative.com. https://www.angels-initiative.com/learning-resources/hyperacute-resources-0