Medgadget had the opportunity to speak with Sandra Saldana, CEO & Co-Founder of Alva Health about the firm’s technology.
Medgadget: How is stroke currently diagnosed/monitored, and why is this suboptimal?
Sandra Saldana: IV tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been an FDA approved therapy since 1995, yet only 5–10% of eligible patients receive this therapy due to delays in initiating the emergency response. Currently, stroke diagnosis can only be performed by a clinical team in the hospital or through telemedicine delivered on a mobile stroke unit. The diagnostic workup consists of a physical exam and neurological assessment, combined with brain imaging including a CT scan, MRI scan, carotid ultrasound, cerebral angiogram, and/or echocardiogram. The purpose of diagnosis is to rule out other conditions and to assess whether the patient is having an ischemic or a hemorrhagic stroke, which informs the type of treatment that is administered. However, in order for a patient to undergo this battery of tests and ultimately receive treatment, they must first recognize their symptoms as stroke symptoms, call 911, and arrive in an emergency room that is equipped to treat stroke patients. Because most people are not trained to recognize stroke symptoms quickly, and stroke symptoms can be subtle, patients do not immediately recognize the symptoms as stroke, and as a result they delay in seeking medical attention.
Medgadget: Please give us an overview of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment for stroke patients.