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Barrow Stroke Center

Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona

At Barrow Stroke Center, we are committed to providing excellent care, informing the community about prevention through control of risk factors, and finding new ways of treating and preventing stroke through research.

The Barrow Stroke Center is one of the most experienced and expert stroke programs in the country, caring for more stroke victims than any other center in the southwestern United States. The Barrow Stroke Center has also treated more patients with tPA (tissue plasminogen activator), the only FDA-approved "clot-busting" drug, than any hospital in the United states. Barrow is the major stroke research center in the Southwest. Our team conducts more clinical stroke treatment and prevention research trials than any other institution in the region.

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2008 Barrow Stroke Update Symposium
October 17-18, 2008

> download brochure (PDF)

Stroke Symptoms

If you think you may be having a stroke call 911 IMMEDIATELY.

A stroke occurs when part of the brain is suddenly deprived of blood because of a narrowed, blocked, or ruptured blood vessel. When blood fails to reach any part of the brain, brain cells die from a lack of oxygen and nutrients. As a result, the functions controlled by those brain cells become impaired or lost.

Stroke can cause various symptoms depending on the part of the brain that was affected. Stroke symptoms are usually sudden and may include paralysis or weakness on one side of the body, numbness or tingling, difficulty speaking or understanding, visual impairment, imbalance, or clumsiness. Headache with such symptoms may indicate that the stroke is a result of rupture of an artery in the brain, bleeding from which creates a rapid increase in pressure within the head. Read more about stroke symptoms.