Start reducing your risk today

The more you know about stroke — the types, symptoms, causes and effects — the better prepared you'll be to prevent one from happening to you. The basics of stroke prevention are to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet, not smoke and control associated medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.

Risk factors and lifestyle choices you can control

• Reduce hypertension (high blood pressure) by eating a healthy low-sodium diet, drinking less alcohol, reducing stress, quitting smoking and taking medications if necessary.
• Treat and control atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat).
• Lower your cholesterol levels by eating a healthy diet, exercising, losing weight and taking medications if necessary. Reduce your LDL, the "bad cholesterol" that can clog your arteries, to less than 100mg/dL. Keep your HDL, the "good cholesterol" that helps reduce your bad cholesterol level, at 60mg/dL or higher.
• Control diabetes (high blood sugar). The National Diabetes Education Program provides a helpful list of ways to manage your diabetes.
• Don't smoke and if you do, stop immediately.
• Drink less alcohol.
• Stop using stimulant drugs. In particular, methamphetamine use greatly increases risk of stroke in young people.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for stroke.
• Exercise regularly to keep your body and immune system strong.
• Eat a healthy diet to help reduce stroke risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. For more information about a healthy diet and stroke prevention, click here.

Risk factors you can't control

• Increasing age: The chance of having a stroke more than doubles for each decade of life after age 55. While stroke is more common among the elderly, people under 65 frequently have strokes.
• Gender: Men are at greater risk for stroke than women, and they tend to occur earlier in life for men.
• Heredity: A family history of stroke and other associated health conditions increases your stroke risk.
• Race: Black women have a greater risk of stroke (and heart disease) than white women. Compared with whites, African-American men and women are more likely to die of stroke.
• Previous stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or heart attack.

Other factors that raise the risk of the intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage types of stroke include:

• Blood and bleeding disorders such as:
  • Disseminated intravascular coagulation, a serious disorder in which the proteins that control blood clotting are abnormally active
  • Hemophilia or bleeding disorder in which it takes a long time for the blood to clot
  • Sickle cell anemia, a disease passed down through families in which red blood cells are an abnormal crescent moon shape
  • Leukemia
  • Decreased levels of blood platelets (cells)
• Use of aspirin or anticoagulant medications (blood thinners). If you have been prescribed aspirin, do not stop taking it without your doctor’s advice.
• Liver disease, which causes increased bleeding risk in general
• Brain or cerebral (head) tumors

See your physician on a regular basis in order to control any risk factors you may have. If you do not have a physician, the time to establish care is now. St. Charles Family Care will connect you with a physician in your area.

Comprehensive stroke diagnosis, treatment and prevention

The St. Charles Stroke Program is a certified stroke treatment center which excels at acute care during the critical first hours after stroke symptoms emerge. Because rapid response is essential, stroke patients are attended to immediately in our Emergency Department. Stroke care continues at a specialized Stroke Care Unit with surgical and non-surgical procedures, as well as post-stroke therapies, including rehabilitation.

Our multidisciplinary response team includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, a neurointerventionalist, rehabilitative specialists and an RN stroke coordinator.

Award winning care

The St. Charles Stroke Program adheres to the highest standard of care and was recognized in 2024 with the American Stroke Association 2024 Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement and Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite and the Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy awards. St. Charles Prineville and St. Charles Redmond were each awarded the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition Silver award in 2024. St. Charles Madras was awarded the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Rural Recognition Bronze award in 2024.

The program was also awarded the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for meeting the requirements for Advanced Certification as a Primary Stroke Center. 

Our mission

The mission of the St. Charles Stroke Program is to improve outcomes for stroke survivors by using early intervention, evidence-based practice and a multidisciplinary approach toward stroke recovery.

Questions?

Our stroke coordinators make certain that every stroke patient at St. Charles receives all the steps of care appropriate for their specific diagnosis, customized education that begins upon admission and preparation for the transition from hospital to home, rehab or skilled nursing facility. Contact our stroke program coordinators at 541-706-3736.

Do you have sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed — and therefore untreated. Answer these simple questions for a basic screening of sleep apnea symptoms. If you answer yes to two or more of these questions, you may be suffering from sleep apnea and should seek further evaluation.

For a quick and basic screening for sleep apnea, please answer these nine simple questions. If you answer yes to two or more of these questions, you may be suffering from sleep apnea and should seek further evaluation.

• Do you snore?
• Are you sleepy during the day?
• Are you overweight?
• Do you wake up with morning headaches?
• Do you have high blood pressure?
• Are you irritable, fatigued or have trouble concentrating?
• Do you find it difficult to stay awake while watching TV, reading a book or attending a meeting?
• Do you ever wake up during the night choking, gasping for air or have a skipping or racing heartbeat?
• Has anyone ever told you that you hold your breath, snort and often move while you're sleeping?

If you have questions or would like further evaluation, please visit your primary care physician and/or contact the St. Charles Sleep Center near you.

Rest comfortably in a private room while we assess your sleep disorder

For patients at the St. Charles Sleep Center, your sleep physician will first determine if you need a sleep study, also called a polysomnogram. If you do need a sleep study, you'll arrive in the early evening, stay the night and leave the next morning. You'll sleep in a private room, and we’ll monitor your body functions overnight.

Sleep study tests

While you're resting, we're working to determine what's disrupting your sleep. We'll place painless electrodes on the surface of your scalp, face, chest and lower legs. The electrodes will measure:

• Blood oxygen levels
• Brain waves
• Breathing effort and movement
• Eye movement
• Heart rhythms
• Leg movements

We can then use the information we've collected to help diagnose your sleep disorder and create an individualized treatment plan that gets you a good night's rest.

Download sleep study instructions

VIDEO: Alice NightOne Patient Setup

VIDEO: WatchPAT 200 step-by-step instructions

VIDEO: WatchPAT 300 step-by-step instructions

Our sleep disorder specialists will guide you back to a good night's sleep

The first step to treating a sleep disorder is diagnosing it. At the St. Charles Sleep Center, we'll be with you every step of the way from our initial consultation to proving sleep education and then sleep disorder treatment and follow-up care.

To start the diagnosis process you’ll be asked to:

• Fill out an assessment questionnaire before your first visit
• Receive a thorough medical exam
• Possibly be monitored during a Sleep Study (Polysomnography)
• Meet with a respiratory therapist or clinical sleep health educator

If you suspect you have sleep apnea, you can fill out our sleep apnea symptoms questionnaire.

Types of sleep disorder treatment

There are many ways to treat sleep disorders, and our specialists create an appropriate treatment plan for each patient. Sleep disorder treatment may include:

• Lifestyle changes
• Medication
• Weight loss
• Dental appliances
• Light therapy
• ENT surgery
• Laser therapy
• Airway pressure appliances
• Individual body clock adjustments

Our sleep specialists also provide ongoing follow up and education to make sure you achieve the good night’s sleep you deserve.

Your Central Oregon resource for sleep disorders — and treatment

The experts at our Sleep Center know that your health, safety and quality of life depend on getting a good night's rest. Left untreated, a sleep disorder can put you at higher risk for stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure and diabetes.

That's why it's important to get help from a sleep specialist. At the St. Charles Sleep Center, you'll receive quality medical care from board-certified physicians specializing in sleep disorders, pulmonology, critical care and internal medicine. We are also fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

You'll receive quality medical care from board-certified physicians specializing in sleep disorders, pulmonology, critical care and internal medicine.

The St. Charles Sleep Center is fully accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

We treat more than 80 types of sleep disorders including:

• Circadian Rhythms
• Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease
• Insomnia
• Narcolepsy
• Parasomnias
• Periodic Limb Movement
• Sleep Apnea
• Snoring

Rheumatology services

The St. Charles Rheumatology Clinic offers comprehensive services for patients with a variety of rheumatology-related diagnoses.

Common rheumatic conditions include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Psoriatic arthritis

Other conditions treated by rheumatologists include:

• Lupus
• Spondyloarthropathies/Ankylosing spondylitis
• Giant Cell Arteritis
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica
• Pseudogout/Calcium pyrophosphate deposition
• Scleroderma
• Sjogren's syndrome
• Wegener’s granulomatosis

We also offer infusion treatments through our Bend Outpatient Infusion Clinic. Call the clinic directly to schedule your infusion.

How can clinical research help you?

St. Charles serves as the premier research facility in Central and Eastern Oregon. The St. Charles Research Department conducts clinical trials for promising new treatments and therapies in a wide variety of medical fields, including cancer treatment and prevention, cardiovascular disease and supportive care.

What is a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are scientific studies in which new treatments — drugs, diagnostic procedures and other therapies — are tested in patients to determine if they are safe and effective. Nearly all drugs in use today were tested and made available to patients through clinical trials.

Why are clinical trials important?

In general, clinical trials are the only way for patients to be treated with new and potentially breakthrough therapies. In addition, participation gives you the opportunity to contribute to the body of medical knowledge that will benefit future generations, just as patients in past trials have helped you and others today.

What is the clinical trial process?

Before agreeing to participate in a clinical trial, you'll receive full and complete information about the trial — its purpose, potential risks and benefits. You'll be assessed and then invited to participate or excluded from participation depending on various factors. Even if you choose to join a clinical trial, you have the right to withdraw at any time. If a new treatment is found not to be better than current treatment, the trial is discontinued.

What about my safety and costs?

All clinical trials must meet rigorous federal guidelines to protect patients. Most clinical trials cost the same as standard care. If there are extra costs, the research sponsor will usually cover them.

How do I get involved?

For more information, consult your physician or contact the St. Charles Research Department by calling 541-706-2909 or emailing Noura Sall at [email protected]

"Opening the Conversation" Study

Many people with a history of breast and gynecologic cancer experience reproductive or sexual difficulties, and there are few resources to help couples cope. We are developing a program to help fill this gap, but we need your help. The program will teach couples to cope and communicate with each other about their sexual and reproductive health concerns.

Learn more

Scheduling your radiology appointment

We're in proud partnership with the top imaging resources in Central Oregon.

For appointments at St. Charles Bend and Redmond, call:

Please note locations in parentheses for specific tests.

General Radiology: 541-706-7721
CT/PET: 541-382-9383
OB/GYN (Women's Imaging Center): 541-706-7721
Interventional Heart Catheterization (St. Charles Heart and Lung Center): 541-388-4333
Interventional Radiology/Angiography (Central Oregon Radiology Associates): 541-312-5522
MRI/MRA Angiogram, MRCP (Central Oregon Radiology Associates): 541-382-9383
Nuclear Medicine (Central Oregon Radiology Associates): 541-382-9383
Ultrasound (Bend): 541-706-7721
Bone Density DEXA (Central Oregon Radiology Associates): 541-382-9383
Ultrasound (Redmond): 541-706-7721
Mammography (Central Oregon Radiology Associates): 541-382-9383 

For appointments at St. Charles Prineville, call: 

MRI or CT, DEXA and Mammography: 541-382-9383 
Ultrasound or General Radiology: 541-706-7721

For appointments at St. Charles Madras, call: 

MRI, CT, DEXA and Mammography: 541-382-9383 
General Radiology: 541-706-7721
Ultrasound: 541-706-7721

Your physician's order/prescription must include this information:

• Patient's name
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Test ordered
• Diagnosis/reason for exam (include ICD-9 code)
• CPT code
• Doctor's signature and printed name

Safe, non-invasive diagnosis and treatment

Diagnostic medical imaging is often essential for correct diagnosis and, in some cases, treatment of a variety of health conditions. Ongoing technological advances enhance our ability to detect the earliest stages of illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and cancer, allowing you and your doctor to start treatment sooner rather than later.

Our radiology team includes radiologists from Central Oregon Radiology, radiology technologists and registered nurses with specialized training in radiology procedures, who are all dedicated to helping you get the right diagnosis and treatment.