Secondary neuropsychiatric complications in stroke: implications for acute care

Neurologic consequences of stroke and associated disability are widely recognized. Neuropsychiatric sequelae of stroke and the implications of such are less well described. This study reviews 1493 cases of stroke and describes 101 cases with concomitant psychiatric diagnoses in terms of discharge setting and length of stay. Patients with psychiatric diagnoses had greater lengths of stay and were less frequently discharged to their homes. Specific psychiatric diagnoses appeared to have little differential effect upon length of stay. The need for attending to psychiatric morbidity in stroke patients is emphasized, and suggestions include treatment of poststroke depression.