Which tool contains three components: facial droop, arm drift, and abnormal speech tests for out-of-hospital neurologic evaluation?

The Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS) is designed specifically for the rapid assessment of potential stroke patients in an out-of-hospital setting. It comprises three easy-to-perform tests that are instrumental in identifying signs of a stroke quickly. The first component assesses facial droop by asking the patient to smile, looking for asymmetry. The second involves checking for arm drift, where the patient is asked to hold out both arms with palms up for ten seconds to see if one arm drifts down. Lastly, the test evaluates for abnormal speech, typically asking the patient to repeat a specific phrase to detect slurred or inappropriate speech patterns.

These components are particularly helpful in prehospital settings, as they allow responders to make quick and informed decisions about whether a patient may be experiencing a stroke and the urgency with which they should be transported to a medical facility. Utilizing this tool can speed up the treatment process, significantly impacting patient outcomes.

In contrast, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) provides a more comprehensive assessment that includes multiple aspects of neurological function, but it is not typically used out of the hospital due to its complexity. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) focuses more on a patient’s level of consciousness rather than specific stroke