Pardee UNC Health Care to Host Free Stroke Screenings on Thursday, May 20
Pardee UNC Health Care will host free stroke screenings with neurologist Joel Callahan, MD and vascular surgeons Rick Hobson, MD and Andrew Sticco, MD on Thursday, May 20, starting at 4:00 pm. Screenings will take place at Vascular Surgery at Pardee, located at 709 North Justice Street, Suite A, Hendersonville, NC 28791. Appointments are required; please visit https://www.pardeehospital.org/strokescreening/ to register and a staff member will call to schedule. Interested individuals can also call 828-698-7333.
“Stroke is the number one cause of disability in the United States,” says neurologist Joel Callahan, MD. “It’s also the fifth-leading cause of death.” A stroke happens when blood flow is cut off from the brain. When the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen-rich blood, brain cells start to die. “The good news is that 80% of strokes are preventable,” adds vascular surgeon Rick Hobson, MD. “There are lifestyle choices that can help, like not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and eating healthy foods. Taking stock of your risk factors and attending screening opportunities like this one are also smart approaches to reducing your risk.”
Consider getting screened if you have a history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, or diabetes. The stroke screening will use an ultrasound to view the carotid artery in the neck, which can detect blockages that may lead to a stroke. The ultrasound is painless, and the test should only take 15 minutes.
Pardee UNC Health Care is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and is managed by UNC Health Care. The hospital is licensed for 222 acute care beds. Pardee has several locations separate from the main campus, including a comprehensive physician practice network, a cancer center, four urgent care locations and six orthopedic clinics. For more information or to find a physician, visit www.pardeehospital.org.