The stats are alarming:

• A stroke occurs every 40 seconds and, on average, every four minutes someone dies of stroke.¹
• Stroke kills nearly 129,000 people each year.¹
• It is the No. 1 cause of disability and the No. 5 cause of death in the United States.¹
• Each year, stroke kills two times as many women as breast cancer.¹
• Up to 80% of strokes can be prevented through lifestyle changes and medications if necessary.²
• In 2015, Mayo Clinic Health System provided emergency treatment to over 850 people who had a stroke.

¹ American Stroke Association
² National Stroke Association

Stroke kills nearly 129,000 people every year but up to 80% of strokes can be prevented through healthy lifestyle changes and medications. Here are four healthy habits that can dramatically reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke:

• Don’t smoke
• Maintain a healthy weight with a body mass index of 25 or lower
• Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day
• Exercise at least two and a half hours per week

There are lots of things that help reduce your risk for heart attack or stroke. The doctors at Mayo Clinic have narrowed the list down to four things you can do to dramatically slash your chances of tying of a heart attack or stroke — watch the video.

Watch for these signs and symptoms if you think you or someone else may be having a stroke. Note when your signs and symptoms begin, because the length of time they have been present may guide your treatment decisions:

• Trouble speaking or understanding
• Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• A sudden, severe headache

Think FAST and do the following:

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? Or is one arm unable to be raised?
• Speech: As the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is his/her speech slurred or strange?
• Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 911 immediately.

Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire is a certified Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. This means we have staff, guidelines and resources in place to quickly and correctly treat stroke patients.

Getting immediate medical attention after the first signs of a stroke increases the possibility that you may receive clot-dissolving therapies (such as TPA) or other clot-retrieving procedures in time to reduce disability and death resulting from stroke.

After immediate emergency care, our stroke clinic provides individualized answers to patients’ concerns and questions.

When a stroke happens, it is a very stressful time for patients and their family members. This stress can make it difficult to plan for the future and know what to expect.

What is the Stroke Clinic?
Our Stroke Clinic provides individualized answers to patients’ concerns and questions. It also offers evaluations and consultations for patients who have already had a stroke or are at risk for having a stroke. In addition to serving as an information resource, the Stroke Clinic works with patients and family members to prevent stroke by identifying and controlling risk factors.

What happens in the Stroke Clinic?
During a visit to the Stroke Clinic, patients are evaluated by stroke experts including a neurologist and nurse practitioner, and receive education and resources to help with recovery and stroke prevention. After the evaluation, patients may be referred to other members of the treatment team including physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, or physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians. The stroke team will provide a treatment plan and recommendation information to the patient’s primary care physician.

Call 715-838-1900 to schedule an appointment.

A stroke is a life-changing event that can affect your emotional well-being as much as your physical function. Meeting with others who are coping with a stroke lets you get out and share experiences, exchange information and forge new friendships. The group is held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in at 3D Community Health, 2103 Heights Drive, Eau Claire.

The group provides occasional guest speakers, educational information regarding current stroke news, available resources within the community and social opportunities. Members will share their experiences, successes, problems and concerns about a stroke, and how the individual and family have coped with it.

Call 715-838-3591 for more information. Search Classes & Events for upcoming meeting dates.

Scott Gunderson is a typical working father of three young children. His days are full of work meetings, play dates, golf games and helping manage his busy family’s calendar. So what makes the Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, man different? He is a stroke survivor and heart valve patient. Watch his video to learn about his care at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire:

In telestroke, doctors who have advanced training in the nervous system (neurologists) remotely evaluate people who've had acute strokes and make diagnoses and treatment recommendations to emergency medicine providers at other sites. Learn more.