Diagnosis and Treatment of Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia) in Acute-Care Stroke Patients

Abstract

This report was requested by the Health Care Financing Administration, which sought an evidence-based assessment of methods for diagnosing and treating swallowing disorders (dysphagia) in elderly individuals with neurologic diseases, and specifically those methods associated with the services provided by speech-language pathologists. About 6,228,000 Americans over age 60 have dysphagia, and about 300,000 to 600,000 people are affected by dysphagia resulting from neurologic disorders each year.