At Mount Sinai Queens, part of the Mount Sinai Health System, we provide state-of-the-art care and diagnostic services for individuals who have experienced a stroke, transient ischemic attack, or other neurological conditions. Our multidisciplinary team—including our neurosurgery, emergency medicine, and rehabilitation specialists, nurses, nutritionists, and social workers—works in close collaboration to deliver timely, high-quality care when every second matters.

When advanced procedures are needed, we ensure smooth transfers to The Mount Sinai Hospital. In addition to clinical care, we’re committed to community outreach and education to help the public recognize the signs of stroke and take action quickly.

Medical Treatment for Stroke: Clot-Busting Thrombolytic therapy (tPA)
Before the development of thrombectomy, we treated ischemic stroke, or a stroke caused by a clot, with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). This medicine is also called alteplase. 

This drug restores blood flow by dissolving the clot causing the stroke. To be effective, tPA treatment must start within three hours of stroke symptom onset. In some cases, we can give tPA up to 4 1/2 hours after symptoms appear. We evaluate our patients to see if this is the case.

Unless there is medical reason not to, we typically provide tPA before thrombectomy. 

Stroke Evaluation, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
Rehabilitation is an important part of the recovery process. The goal of a rehabilitation program is to help you become as independent as possible and attain the best possible quality of life. Research has shown recovery is best when a rehabilitation program starts as soon as possible. At Mount Sinai Queens, our rehabilitation team evaluates stroke patients on their first day at the hospital. Our specialists are skilled in providing rehabilitation care that includes physical therapy to help regain as much movement as possible; occupational therapy to assist in everyday tasks and self-care; and speech therapy to improve swallowing and speech challenges. As a stroke patient at Mount Sinai Queens, you receive physical therapy seven days a week.

We offer several types of rehabilitation treatment:

• Physical therapists assist patients in getting in and out of bed, standing, and walking. The many benefits of standing upright include increased circulation, preventing pneumonia and blood clots, and stimulating the nervous system.
• Speech language pathologists assess any impacts the stroke has had on the ability to swallow, speak, and comprehend. They help stroke patients with aphasia, the loss of the ability to understand or express speech. They assist in relearning how to use language or develop alternative means of communication. They also help you improve your ability to swallow. Often after a stroke, doctors order patients to not receive food or drink by mouth. This is called an NPO order. The purpose is to prevent aspiration pneumonia, and ensure that you are able to swallow food and drink safely.
• Occupational therapists help you learn to perform what are called activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and using a toilet.

Our team creates an individualized plan so you develop the problem-solving and social skills to cope with the after-effects of a stroke. Our goal is your independence, confidence, and quality of life.