A stroke happens when the blood flow to an area of the brain is interrupted by a blocked or broken blood vessel (vein, artery, or capillary). Blood can no longer travel to the affected area, and cells begin to die. Without prompt medical treatment, the result is lost or impaired mental and physical abilities.

The graphic below explains the signs of a stroke to check for if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from a stroke.

LeConte Medical Center’s stroke coordinator works with patients from the time they arrive, following their plan of care throughout their stay, until discharge. Their job is to ensure stroke patients at LeConte receive the best possible care by following nationally recognized, research-based guidelines.

LeConte provides stroke education to the youth in our community through the use of a book called Can My Dog Have A Stroke? This book is written for elementary-aged children, and it presents the signs of a stroke in a “non-scary” way helping children retain knowledge so that they can call 911 if a parent or grandparent is having symptoms.