Timely stroke treatment at Mercy Hospital St. Louis prevents lasting harm
Peter Marsac, 58, chief of the Maplewood Fire Department, avoided lasting damage from an ischemic stroke due to quick recognition and treatment at Mercy Hospital St. Louis. An occupational therapist identified subtle left-sided weakness in Marsac, who was recovering from a severe reaction to an ACE inhibitor.
Marsac suffered an ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, which is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel leading to the brain. Rapid diagnosis and treatment with a clot-busting medication, Tenecteplase, prevented lasting impacts from the stroke, underscoring the importance of immediate action when stroke symptoms appear.
Marsac was at Mercy Hospital St. Louis recovering from severe swelling and had spent two days in a coma. “After recovering from the severe swelling and two days in a coma, I began inpatient rehab,” Marsac said. “I was working on basic motor skills with my occupational therapist when something didn’t feel right. She asked me to stand up, march in place and I couldn’t lift my left leg – it felt like it was full of cement.”
Cat Morroney, an occupational therapist at Mercy St. Louis, noticed Marsac’s symptoms during his rehabilitation. Morroney began reviewing stroke warning signs with him and promptly activated the stroke team. Marsac was quickly diagnosed and treated with medication. “By the time I was taken down for a CT, my arms had gone numb – though everything returned within 24 hours,” Marsac said. “I’m thankful the pieces fell into place and that Cat advocated for me. She should be recognized.” Marsac spent a week in the intensive care unit related to his blood pressure, but he has no lasting impacts from the stroke.
Dr. Nida Jamal, neurologist and stroke team medical director at Mercy St. Louis, emphasized the critical nature of timely treatment. “For every minute a stroke is left untreated, a million nerve cells in the brain die,” Dr. Jamal said. “That’s why we say, “Time is brain.” The faster you act, the better the outcome for the patient.”
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of a stroke is crucial for ensuring immediate treatment. The acronym B.E. F.A.S.T. is recommended for identifying stroke symptoms and acting quickly.
The “B” in B.E. F.A.S.T. stands for Balance Loss, asking if there is a sudden loss of balance or coordination, or if the person is having trouble walking or experiencing dizziness. “E” stands for Eye (Vision) Changes, asking if there are sudden changes in vision such as blurred vision, double vision or loss of sight in one or both eyes. “F” signifies Face Drooping, checking if one side of the face droops or is numb, or if the smile is uneven when asked to smile.
The “A” in B.E. F.A.S.T. stands for Arm Weakness, asking if one arm is weak or numb and if one arm drifts downward when both are raised. “S” represents Speech Difficulty, checking if speech is slurred or difficult to understand and asking the person to repeat a simple sentence. Finally, “T” means Time to Call 911 immediately if any of these symptoms are present in someone.
Mercy is one of the 15 largest U.S. health systems. NRC Health named Mercy the top large system in the U.S. for excellent patient experience. The system serves millions annually with nationally recognized care and operates one of the nation’s largest and highest performing Accountable Care Organizations in quality and cost.
Mercy is a highly integrated, multi-state health care system that includes 55 acute care and specialty hospitals. It also operates convenient and urgent care locations, imaging centers and pharmacies. Mercy has more than 1,000 physician practice locations and outpatient facilities, more than 5,000 physicians and advanced practitioners and more than 50,000 caregivers serving patients and families across Arkansas, Ill., Kan., Mo. and Oklahoma
Mercy also extends its services through clinics, outpatient services and outreach ministries in Arkansas, La., Miss. and Texas. In fiscal year 2025, Mercy provided more than $500 million of free care and other community benefits, including traditional charity care and unreimbursed Medicaid.