About
The NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a clinical tool used for the assessment and evaluation of the severity of a stroke. It is primarily used in patients who have had a suspected stroke, or in those who have been diagnosed with a stroke. The NIHSS provides a quantitative measure of stroke-related neurologic deficit and helps in predicting both short and long-term outcomes of stroke patients. The scale includes 11 items, each of which scores a specific ability between a 0 and 4. For each item, a score of 0 typically indicates normal function in that specific ability, while a higher score is indicative of some level of impairment. The individual scores from each item are summed in order to calculate a patient's total NIHSS score. The maximum possible score is 42, with the minimum score being a 0. The NIHSS is not applicable to patients with non-stroke related neurological deficits, and it may not be as accurate in assessing the severity of a stroke in patients with pre-existing neurological conditions.