Objective: To study data of time that the patient use for acute stroke care since onset until complete

computed tomography (CT) scan at

Songklanagarind Hospital and factors that affected to it.

Method: Retrospective study started from January 1, 2006 - December 31, 2006. All patients in

Emergency  Department (ED) that diagnosed acute ischemic stroke were reviewed from medical records.

Results: Total 228 acute ischemic stroke patients were eligible for study. Median age was 66 years (26-89 years). Risk factors are hypertension (55.7%), dyslipidemia (39.9%) and smoking (31.1%) respectively. The most symptoms are limb weakness (88.2%), gait disturbance (74.1%) and facial palsy (58.8%) respectively. Median prehospital time from onset to ED arrival was 8.1 hours. Median time form ED arrival to completed CT scan was 1.9 hours. Median total time was 11.2 hours. The factors that related with prehospital time were Glasgow coma scale score level, seizure and altered mental status. The factor that related with time form ED arrival to completed CT scan was diastolic blood pressure. The factors that related with total time were Glasgow coma scale score level, seizure and altered mental status.

Conclusion: In the present, prehospital time for acute stroke care at Songklanagarind Hospital was longer than American Heart Association (AHA) 2005 Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency cardiovascular care.