"Every minute that passes without acute stroke treatment, 1.9 million neurons die," said Brian Stamm. But a new national study finds many end up at hospitals who can't offer that. "Endovascular therapy is a stroke treatment where a catheter is inserted to remove a large clot from the brain," Stamm said. This just emphasizes that early treatment can lead to better patient outcomes, and without that early treatment, patients can suffer lasting disability, like being unable to speak or unable to walk." The research team is part of an ongoing national study sponsored by the national institutes of health to improve the stroke transfer process and ensure more patients receive life-saving treatment.