What is the correct response to a patient experiencing a stroke?

The correct response to a patient experiencing a stroke is to activate the emergency response system and transport to a stroke center. This is crucial because strokes are time-sensitive medical emergencies that require immediate intervention to minimize brain damage and optimize recovery.

Transporting the patient to a facility specialized in treating strokes ensures that they receive the most appropriate care, which may include advanced imaging and clot-busting medications if the type of stroke is ischemic. Time is a critical factor in stroke treatment, so activating the emergency response not only facilitates swift transport but also allows for potential pre-alerts to the receiving hospital, ensuring they are prepared for the patient's arrival.

Other options, like administering aspirin or providing oxygen, do not address the most immediate need, which is to transport the patient to a qualified medical facility. Performing CPR and defibrillation is necessary in cases of cardiac arrest, but a stroke patient may not be in cardiac arrest, thus making this intervention inappropriate. Each of these alternative actions does not align with the priority need for immediate and specialized stroke care.