What tool is commonly used to assess the severity of a stroke?

The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a critical tool used to assess the severity of a stroke. It consists of a series of 11 questions or tasks designed to evaluate various aspects of neurological function, including levels of consciousness, motor abilities, sensory perception, and language skills. By quantifying the neurological deficits associated with a stroke, the NIHSS provides a standard method for healthcare professionals to determine severity, guide treatment decisions, and predict outcomes.

This tool is especially valuable in clinical settings for tracking patient progress and making informed decisions regarding acute care, rehabilitation, and follow-up. The NIHSS is more directly focused on stroke assessment compared to other tools mentioned, which serve different purposes in clinical evaluation. For instance, the Glasgow Coma Scale is primarily used to assess consciousness levels, while the Barthel Index evaluates functional independence, and the Mini-Mental State Examination screens for cognitive impairment.

Therefore, the NIHSS is uniquely designed to assess stroke severity, making it the appropriate choice for this question.