Diagnosis of post-stroke dysphagia: towards better treatment

Dysphagia is a common complication in patients after a stroke, especially in individuals older than 70 years, in whom it can negatively affect post-stroke recovery and quality of life. Dysphagia can also increase mortality risk through increased risk of dehydration, malnutrition, and pneumonia. Proper screening and assessment and effective management of dysphagia can reduce length of hospital stay, decrease the risk of death, and lower health-care costs; however, evidence-based approaches to both diagnosis and treatment are scarce, and as a result the delivery of post-stroke dysphagia care is inconsistent.