What is a stroke?

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of adult disability. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is blocked by a blood clot and brain tissue is deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die.

Are you at risk?

The good news is that stroke can be prevented. Knowing your risk for stroke by identifying risk factors and treating them with the help of your doctor is the key to preventing stroke. Some risk factors can't be changed (such as age) but most risk factors can be changed and the benefits of treating risk factors can add up.

To learn if you are at risk for stroke, print and complete this simple risk assessment (PDF).*

Print out a flyer (PDF) of stroke risks and signs and hang it up. You could save someone's life.*

What are the signs of a stroke?

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
• A stroke is a medical emergency. If you or someone close to you has any of these symptoms, call 911 right away. Prompt treatment can mean the difference between life and death.

In addition to expert care, our patients benefit from state-of-the-art diagnosis, and advanced treatment and rehabilitation options.

For more information about strokes, we recommend these links.

*These documents are available as printable (PDF) file using Adobe Acrobat. If you do not already have an Adobe Acrobat Reader, download a free copy now from Adobe Acrobat.