People who’ve experienced strokes may find they have difficulty swallowing (called “dysphagia”). Beyond simply being uncomfortable, dysphagia can also cause food or liquids to enter your lungs.
In an effort to find the most reliable test for determining whether a stroke has, in fact, created dysphagia, researchers compared two methods: “pulse oximetry,” which measures oxygen levels in the blood as an indicator of obstructed swallowing, and videofluoroscopy, a process that uses a video-based assessment within 24 hours of the stroke event.
Their conclusion? Researchers found no relationship between low oxygen levels in the blood and difficulty swallowing, so videofluoroscopy remained the most effective assessment choice of the two. However, the study’s authors pointed out that because only 54 of the 189 participants were able to undergo the video tests, further study is warranted.
For further information: “Can Pulse Oximetry or a Bedside Swallowing Assessment Be Used to Detect Aspiration after Stroke?” D. Ramsey, D.G. Sithard, and L. Kalra, Stroke, December 2006.
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For more information on additional side effects experienced by stroke survivors, and what to do about them, see Activities of Daily Living Dependent on Cognitive Impairment in Stroke Patients.
Discover a recommended book for stroke survivors, in Book Review: Take Brave Steps for Stroke Survivors and Families.
