Stroke Diagnosis
Merit Health River Oaks utilizes The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale to systematically assess the neurologic effects of a stroke. This diagnostic tool measures the severity of a stroke, helps determine appropriate treatment and predicts outcomes.
The NIHSS 15-item scale evaluates the effect of acute stroke on:
- Levels of consciousness
- Language
- Neglect
- Field of vision
- Eye movement
- Muscle strength
- Muscle control and balance
- Speech
- Senses
A trained observer rates patients' ability to answer questions and perform activities in an assessment that takes less than 10 minutes to complete.