Which item is part of the Cincinnati Stroke Scale?

• A. Heart rate
• B. Pupillary response
• C. Facial Droop
• D. Blood glucose

Answer: (C)

The Cincinnati Stroke Scale is a rapid field screen for stroke that looks for focal neurological deficits by testing three things: facial movements, arm strength, and speech. Facial droop is included because weakness in facial muscles is a common early sign of stroke and is easy to observe when the patient smiles or shows teeth. The other items listed—heart rate, pupillary response, and blood glucose—are important parts of patient assessment or management, but they are not items in this specific stroke scale. Heart rate and blood glucose are general vital checks, and pupillary response is a broader neurologic sign not part of this three-item scale. So facial droop is the correct element of the Cincinnati Stroke Scale.