Stroke Care

What is stroke?

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted by a clot or bleeding. This interruption causes brain cells to go without oxygen.

A stroke is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. Fast care can reduce brain damage and help stroke survivors more fully recover.

Stroke is the #1 cause of disability, but is largely preventable.

Are you at risk? Download the Stroke Risk Scorecard.

Learn more about stroke.

Signs and symptoms of stroke

Knowing the signs of stroke could save a life, maybe even your own. A good way to remember stroke symptoms is to B.E.F.A.S.T.:

• Balance: Is there a sudden loss of balance? Ask the person to stand, but be careful not to let them fall.
• Eyes: Has there been lost vision in one or both eyes? Ask the person to tell you something they see in the space around them.
• Face drooping: Is one side of the face drooping or numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
• Arm weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, such as “The sky is blue.”
• Time to call 911: If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get the person to the hospital immediately.

Stroke recovery and rehabilitation

No two strokes are the same. We work with you and your family to create a customized plan for recovery. Our team helps you set short- and long-term treatment goals, so you can recover from your stroke, relearn skills and develop new ways to do things.

To assist stroke survivors, we’ve developed the Stroke Care Survival Guide to support you during recovery and help lower the risk of having another stroke.