What should you assess in a patient with a suspected stroke using the Cincinnati Stroke Scale?

In a patient with a suspected stroke, the Cincinnati Stroke Scale is designed to quickly and effectively assess three critical areas: facial droop, arm drift, and speech abnormalities. Speech and arm movement are particularly vital components because they provide insight into the motor and language functions that can be affected during a stroke.

Assessing speech involves checking for slurred or incoherent speech, which can indicate dysfunction in the areas of the brain responsible for language processing. Evaluating arm movement helps identify weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, which is common in stroke patients. The combination of these assessments can help determine whether the patient is experiencing a stroke, especially since the Cincinnati Stroke Scale is widely used for its simplicity and effectiveness in emergency situations.

Other options focus on areas not included in this specific scale. Motor responses alone do not encompass the full range of neurological signs needed to assess stroke risk. Pupil reactivity and eye movements, while important in neuro assessments, do not fit the scope of the Cincinnati Stroke Scale. Lastly, breathing patterns and heart rate are critical to overall health assessment but do not directly relate to stroke evaluation in the context of this scale.