Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Acute Stroke Patients

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of different kinds of swallowing disorder and it’s severity in patients after stroke. Patients and In this cross sectional study, 91 consecutive stroke patients were screened by the Northwestern Dysphagia Patient Check Sheet (NDPCS) and the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). Forty seven percent of those assessed demonstrated signs of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Mild dysphagia was seen in (10.98%) patients, moderate dysphagia was present in 14.28% and 22% patients had severe dysphagia. Dysphagia is common after acute stroke and its presence can have serious consequences. These results emphasize the importance of assessment and management of swallowing function in stroke patients.