Cincinnati Stroke Scale

Rapid assessment for suspected stroke

The Cincinnati Stroke Scale is a prehospital instrument that rapidly assesses the probability of stroke in patients by observing three main clinical signs:

  1. Facial droop: ask the patient to smile. Asymmetry indicates abnormality.
  2. Arm weakness: ask the patient to raise both arms. Dropping indicates abnormality.
  3. Abnormal speech: ask the patient to repeat a phrase. Difficulty indicates abnormality.

If at least one sign is abnormal, there is a 72% probability of stroke.

Year of Creation: 1999

Authors: Researchers from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, United States.

Area of Application: Prehospital care and emergency departments.

Evaluated Criteria: Facial droop, arm weakness, and abnormal speech.

Who Uses It?: Nursing technicians, prehospital care nurses, and emergency medicine professionals

Clinical Signs Normal Abnormal
Facial Droop Normal Abnormal
Arm Weakness Normal Abnormal
Abnormal Speech Normal Abnormal
Bibliographic Reference:

KOTHARI, R. U.; PANCIOLI, A.; BRODERICK, J.; BROTT, T.; KHOURY, J.; MILLER, R.; TYREE, T.; WEAVER, M.; JASTER, E. The Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale: Reproducibility and Validity. Annals of Emergency Medicine, v. 33, n. 4, p. 373-378, 1999. Access Document