Patient selection: stroke
The onset of the cognitive impairment should follow a stroke event.
Risk factors for cognitive impairment after a stroke.
(1) older age
(2) lower level of education
(3) prestroke cognitive decline
(4) history of previous stroke
(5) vascular risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, smoking)
(6) comorbid conditions
(7) stroke location (left-sided/dominant, involvement of strategic areas, medial temporal lobe)
(8) abnormalities on brain imaging (white matter lesions, cortical atrophy, small vessel disease)
(9) other stroke complications
Other factors may include:
(1) female sex
(2) ethnicity
(3) post-stroke delirium
Differential diagnosis:
(1) other forms of dementia
(2) depression (which may also be a complication of stroke)
(3) drug effects
