Stroke Alert criteria require which of the following?

Stroke Alert criteria require which of the following?

• A. Only onset time window
• B. Any one abnormal FAST-ED sign AND onset <5 hours
• C. More than 6 hours since onset
• D. Only one sign is needed

Answer: (C)

Stroke Alert activation centers on the timing since onset. In this protocol, the trigger is when the onset time is more than six hours prior, which means EMS should pre-notify and route the patient to a facility capable of acute stroke evaluation even though the patient is unlikely to be a candidate for thrombolytic therapy. The emphasis is on efficient hospital readiness and proper patient routing based on the elapsed time, not on counting multiple signs or assuming a window within five hours. While signs like FAST-ED help identify stroke, they do not replace the time criterion used to decide when to activate a Stroke Alert.

Stroke Alert activation centers on the timing since onset. In this protocol, the trigger is when the onset time is more than six hours prior, which means EMS should pre-notify and route the patient to a facility capable of acute stroke evaluation even though the patient is unlikely to be a candidate for thrombolytic therapy. The emphasis is on efficient hospital readiness and proper patient routing based on the elapsed time, not on counting multiple signs or assuming a window within five hours. While signs like FAST-ED help identify stroke, they do not replace the time criterion used to decide when to activate a Stroke Alert.