DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF NIHSS TO ASSESS THE EARLY STROKE SEVERITY AT THE ENTRY INTO EMERGENCY MEDICINE DEPARTMENT

Abstract

Background: The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was developed to help physicians objectively rate the severity of ischemic strokes. Increasing scores indicate a more severe stroke and have been shown to correlate with the size of the infarction,Aim: To assess the severity of the ischemic stroke and its mimics and to improve the clinical outcome by applying NIHSS in patients suspected with ischemic stroke symptoms at entry to Emergency Medicine department.