Call 911 immediately if you experience stroke symptoms
Signs of a Stroke to Watch ForWhy Choose University of Utah Health for Exceptional Stroke Care?
Our Stroke Center is a national leader in comprehensive stroke care with exceptional rankings year after year. We believe collaboration throughout our system across multiple specialties—from neurologists, neurosurgeons, neurovascular surgeons, and more—leads to the best outcomes.
U of U Health offers comprehensive stroke care for patients all in one place:
- 24/7 emergency stroke care at the University of Utah Hospital
- Advanced stroke care, including the ability to perform complex endovascular (minimally invasive technique that uses no surgical incisions) and open microsurgical procedures
- Dedicated Neuro Critical Care Unit for complex patients
- Stroke rehabilitation at Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital
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Compassionate, expert outpatient care by vascular neurologists and vascular neurosurgeons at the Clinical Neurosciences Center
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Telestroke (telemedicine) care and expertise for physicians and more than 25 community hospitals in rural and underserved areas across the Mountain West
Stroke Research, Education, & Community Awareness
U of U Health is actively engaged in stroke research and clinical trials to advance stroke prevention, treatment, and recovery. We strongly believe that research provides the best path to improve stroke patient outcomes and reduce the burden of stroke on individuals and society.
U of U Health plays a crucial role in training future stroke providers. At the School of Medicine Division of Vascular Neurology and Division of Vascular Neurosurgery, our faculty educate medical students, residents, and fellows to become the next generation of leaders in stroke care and research. We offer both neuroendovascular surgery fellowships and stroke neurovascular fellowships.
U of U Health is committed to raising stroke awareness and educating patients, family members, and the community about stroke prevention, signs of stroke, and treatment. We empower people with knowledge through community events, media campaigns, and collaborations with local and national health care organizations, such as the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.
Find a Stroke Specialist Near Me
“I call it a miracle because it is just the way it feels. It’s brain surgery, and they open the brain and move one vein from one part of your head and into another part of your brain and create a whole new blood system. It’s truly a miracle. It is done at very few hospitals. So, we are lucky to have a neurosurgery team at U of U Health that was able to operate on me and pull me through it.”
Emergency Room & Stroke Hospital Care
Our DNV-Certified Comprehensive Stroke Center is more than just a place for treatment. We are committed to providing specialized care for all stroke patients. We aim for rapid stroke recognition, timely neurological evaluation, and imaging studies in patients eligible for thrombolytic therapy (medication that dissolves blood clots) and mechanical thrombectomy (blood clot removal surgery).
Inpatient stroke care at our hospital involves collaboration amongst many types of health care professionals:
- Emergency physicians
- Vascular neurologists
- Neuro critical care specialists
- Neurointerventional surgeons
- Neurosurgeons
- Neuroradiologists
- Physiatrists
- Nurses
- Rehabilitative therapists
- Palliative care
We focus on providing evidence-based treatments for cases of acute stroke symptoms that start suddenly and worsen quickly. We provide patients with prevention therapies to reduce their risk of another stroke. We also emphasize the importance of early mobilization and rehabilitation interventions to maximize a patient's ability to function in their day-to-day and return to independence. Our team understands the importance of including our patients and their caregivers in the treatment plan process to ensure our care best fits their personal needs.
Vascular Neurology Stroke Clinic
The Vascular Neurology Stroke Clinic helps stroke patients transition smoothly from hospitalization or inpatient rehabilitation care to outpatient management (health care outside of a hospital setting). The majority of our patients are seen by the same physician who managed their care in the hospital. This gives our patients a seamless continuity of care.
We provide comprehensive and personalized care to target the best strategies to reduce a patient's risk of new strokes. This may include prescribing medications and addressing stroke risk factors:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
We also work with our colleagues in cardiology, neuroradiology, and neurosurgery to evaluate a patient's eligibility for some of the following stroke treatments:
- Carotid stenting (a procedure that opens clogged arteries to restore blood flow to your brain)
- Patent foramen ovale closure (a catheter-based procedure to close a hole in your heart)
- Left atrial appendage closure
Our vascular neurologists advocate for stroke education and work closely with our stroke rehabilitation colleagues to ensure a patient's stroke recovery needs are met. We are committed to navigating the recovery journey with our patients and helping them adjust to life after stroke.
Vascular Neurosurgery Stroke Clinic
Our vascular neurosurgery team, also known as cerebrovascular surgery, offers the most advanced open and minimally invasive endovascular techniques to treat conditions affecting the blood vessels of the brain and spinal cord.
Our vascular neurosurgeons use advanced imaging studies to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the patient's stroke. They then tailor the treatment to the patient's needs, which may include minimally invasive procedures, endovascular or open surgical interventions, or a combination of different procedures.
Our vascular neurosurgeons collaborate closely with our vascular neurology team to provide comprehensive care for our patients. We use the most modern technologies and cutting-edge research trials to assist and guide our stroke treatment plan.
Stroke Types & Other Conditions We Treat
- Ischemic stroke
- Hemorrhagic stroke
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- Stroke secondary to hematological disorders:
- Cancer-related hypercoagulable state
- Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
- Inflammatory blood vessel disorders:
- Primary angiitis of the central nervous system
- Secondary vasculitis
- Rare and hereditary causes of stroke:
- Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL)
- Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL)
- Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy
- Lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS)
- Paradoxical embolism in the setting of patent foramen ovale (PFO)
- Moyamoya disease and syndrome
- Cervical artery dissection (CAD)
- Cervical carotid stenosis
- Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT)
- Intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD)
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms
- Cerebral cavernous malformations
- Arteriovenous malformations
- Dural arteriovenous fistulas
- Spinal vascular malformations
Meet Our Patients
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Want to Participate In a Clinical Study?
Clinical trials and research studies help our physicians and researchers prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases.
Find a Stroke Clinical TrialRFVIIA for Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke Administered at Earliest Time (FASTEST) Trial
U of U Health is conducting a research study of the emergency treatment of patients with bleeding in the brain also called intracerebral hemorrhage. We are asking community members to think about this research and let us know what you think about the FASTEST study.
