Key points

  • Ischaemic stroke: blockage cutting off the blood supply to the brain
  • Haemorrhagic stroke: caused by a bleeding in or around the brain

What is a stroke?

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A stroke occurs when the blood flow to part of the brain is cut off.

A transient ischaemic attack or TIA, sometimes referred to as a mini-stroke, is defined as stroke symptoms and signs that resolve within 24 hours.

Effects of stroke

A stroke can affect many different body functions, depending on the part of the brain that is involved, including:

Role of speech and language therapy for stroke

The SLT has a key role in:

  • Initial assessment of swallowing and communication difficulties following acute stroke
  • Training of other healthcare professionals to carry out screening
  • Long-term rehabilitation of stroke patients as part of the core multidisciplinary stroke rehabilitation team
  • Coaching others, including carers and other professionals, to facilitate communication
  • Supporting the medical team to assess capacity, in cases in which it is difficult to obtain consent from a person.

Resources

For further information read our stroke fact sheet (PDF)

Videos

For more videos visit the RCSLT YouTube channel.

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