Dean & St. Mary's Stroke Center provides the full range of services designed to improve outcomes for patients and families who are experiencing, or have experienced, a stroke. A dedicated center provides an approach to rapid assessment, diagnostic evaluation, acute management, and rehabilitative efforts to meet the needs of every patient who comes to us for care. In October, 2007, the Dean & St. Mary's Stroke Center became the first and only certified Primary Stroke Center in South Central Wisconsin, as recognized by the Joint Commission, demonstrating its dedication to the latest national guidelines and improving outcomes for specialized stroke care. (Click here for more information about Primary Stroke Centers.)

Stroke Prevention and Education
 
The Stroke Center provides a stroke prevention program for the community which includes education about the signs and symptoms of stroke, risk factors associated with stroke, and initiatives to provide primary and secondary prevention of stroke.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

St. Mary's Hospital partners with the Dane County EMS to facilitate the accurate and rapid recognition of patients with acute stroke symptoms and to promote rapid transport of patients to the emergency department. 

Emergency Stroke Treatment

Because the first three hours after the start of stroke symptoms are critically important, St. Mary's emergency department staff are skilled at immediately determining the best treatment plan by rapid diagnosis and treatment for patients who suffer a stroke 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using diagnostic services, including CT (computed tomography) scans, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), as well as providing state of the art care with clot-busting medication.

Acute Stroke Treatment

When patients have suffered a stroke, specialized care continues in our Neuroscience Intermediate Care unit or our Neuroscience Intensive Care unit. Nurses in these units have expertise in neurological assessments and provide comprehensive care and education to patient’s and their families.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Stroke Rehabilitation begins early in the patient's recovery. A dedicated rehabilitation team consists of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and social workers. Each patient’s rehabilitation plan is individualized to help patients and their families achieve the best possible outcome and quality of life.

According to the American Stroke Association, about 700,000 Americans per year suffer a new or recurrent stroke, and strokes are the No. 3 cause of death behind diseases of the heart and cancer. When a stroke occurs, it is critical to identify the symptoms and get treatment as quickly as possible to improve the chances of recovery.

Stroke Symptoms

Usually, a SUDDEN development of one or more of the following indicates a stroke:

• Weakness or paralysis of an arm, leg, side of the face, or any part of the body
• Numbness, tingling, decreased sensation
• Vision changes
• Slurred speech, inability to speak or understand speech, difficulty reading or writing
• Swallowing difficulties or drooling
• Loss of memory
• Vertigo (spinning sensation)
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Personality changes
• Mood changes (depression, apathy)
• Drowsiness, lethargy, or loss of consciousness
• Uncontrollable eye movements or eyelid drooping

Stroke Prevention

To help prevent a stroke:

• Get screened for high blood pressure at least every 2 years, especially if you have a family history of high blood pressure.
• Have your cholesterol checked. If you are high risk, your LDL "bad" cholesterol should be lower than 70 mg/dL.
• If you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, make sure you follow your doctor's treatment recommendations.
• Follow a low-fat diet.
• Quit smoking.
• Exercise regularly -- 30 minutes a day if you are not overweight; 60 - 90 minutes a day if you are overweight.
• Do not drink more than 1 to 2 alcoholic drinks a day.

To learn more about preventing, identifying, and treating stroke, visit the links on this page.