Mobile stroke units shave crucial minutes off response times in TX, OH

Mobile stroke units debuted in two U.S. cities during the past year, and already they are saving critical minutes when it comes to treating stroke patients, according to a pair of studies released Wednesday. The mobile units, each of which resemble an ordinary ambulance and cost about $1 million, are essentially specialized emergency rooms on wheels. They include unique equipment, such as a portable CT scanner to help determine what type of stroke a patient is experiencing and how best to treat it. They also include lab testing equipment and clot-busting drugs that can greatly improve the prognosis for patients who receive them soon after the onset of symptoms.