Stroke

Stroke

Also known as: Cerebral artery occlusion with infarction

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or bursts. Without blood and the oxygen it carries, part of the brain starts to die. The part of the body controlled by the damaged area of the brain can't work properly.

Brain damage can begin within minutes, so it is important to know the symptoms of stroke and act fast. Quick treatment can help limit damage to the brain and increase the chance of a full recovery.

Providence Stroke Center: The first nationally certified primary stroke center in Oregon and a leader in accessible, comprehensive, state-of-the-art stroke care, education and research, Providence Stroke Center cares for more stroke patients than any other health system in Oregon.

Read more in our library »

Choose a category above to find details about related Providence services.

Services offered by Providence

PACE care coordination

PACE stands for Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, a federally recognized program that offers a seamless provision of total care. PACE pro More »

Physical therapy

Physical therapy provides services for people of all ages, from newborns to the very oldest, when medical problems or other health-related conditions More »

Forms & Information

FAST: Save a life

Stroke – there's treatment if you act FAST. Learn an easy way to identify the signs of a stroke.

Know your stroke risk

Take this short test to determine your risk of stroke. You'll need to know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Neuro bi-plane technology gets even more precise

Providence Portland Medical Center now offers an advanced neuro procedure room with 3-D mapping and CT scan overlay.

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Providence Stroke Center printable sheet (patients)

Printable sheets describing our program and services.

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Providence Telestroke Network map

Miles away… and by your side. See the map of all telestroke locations.

What is a stroke?

Learn more about stroke using this easy-to-understand interactive guide, including causes of stroke, types of stroke and how to reduce risk for stroke.

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Why choose Providence Acute Rehabilitation Center?

Read our fact sheet to learn how Providence provides a positive foundation for healing.

From the experts

Ask an expert: Can a traumatic event cause a stroke?

Q: "I have an 80-year-old friend who suffered a stroke during a car accident. She was a passenger in a car that rolled over and left her upside down for about 30 minutes. Could the stress of this accident have caused her stroke? How?"

Ask an Expert: Can you have a stroke and not know it?

Q: Is it possible to have a stroke and not know it, like if you're sleeping or the symptoms are mild?

Ask an Expert: Drug use and stroke risk

Q: Could past drug use put me at increased risk for a stroke?  I stopped using illegal drugs more than 10 years ago.

Ask an Expert: Homocysteine, vitamins and stroke prevention

Q: A friend of mine is taking folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements to lower her homocysteine levels and help prevent a stroke. What exactly is homocysteine? Should I be taking vitamin supplements if I’m worried about having a stroke?

Ask an Expert: Is it a stroke, or something else?

Q: If you have only one symptom of a stroke, or only mild symptoms, how do you know it’s a stroke and not something else? Will symptoms eventually appear that make it clear you've had a stroke? What other conditions cause stroke-like symptoms?

Ask an Expert: Stress and stroke risk

Q: I’ve read that stress can increase your risk of having a stroke. Does this warning relate only to anxiety experienced during times of crisis or extend to everyday stress as well?

Ask an Expert: Stroke vs. TIA

“Is a TIA truly a stroke, or is it caused by other problems? What is the process for finding a good specialist?"

Pioneering stroke care video

Learn how Providence built a telestroke network to improve stroke care in communities in Oregon and Washington.

Three Tests That Can Help Identify a Stroke

Q: An e-mail is going around that says if you think someone may be having a stroke, you should ask him to perform three tests: to smile, to raise both arms and to speak a simple sentence. Can these tests really indicate a stroke, or is this an urban legend?

Using Aquatic Therapy to Recover From a Stroke

Answers from Kathleen Cutter, physical therapist with Providence Rehabilitation Services:

[VIDEO] Providence Telestroke Network in Action

Watch this video depicting the lifesaving power of telestroke.

A better predictor of stroke risk in a-fib patients

Studies show that a newer, more refined scoring system more accurately identifies risk for thromboembolism. – By Douglas Dawley, M.D., cardiologist, Providence Heart and Vascular Institute

New hope for brain hemorrhage: CLEAR III trial

The condition causes dread for emergency physicians, but a study is examining a new therapy that may improve outcomes. – By Lisa Yanase, M.D., stroke neurologist

Preventing Cardiac Risk: Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes that will help you reduce your chance of heart attack or stroke.

Providence Stroke Center Video Library

How can I tell if someone is having a stroke?
What can I do to lower my chances?
What is a transient ischemic attack (TIA)? Is this a mini-stroke?

Questions and Answers About Stroke

Questions and answers about stroke with Ted Lowenkopf, M.D., and Lisa Yanase, M.D., Providence Brain and Spine Institute.

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Use of Acute Stroke Registry to Improve Care Profile of Receptive Stroke Programs

Researchers surveyed hospitals to ask whether ongoing data completeness reports and monthly comparative quality reports were used to make changes in the acute care process.These self-reports were then confirme by using the registry data to construct objective run-chart measures over 12 months.Results showed several programmatic characteristics that distinguished programs that used quality reports to make improvements.

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