Poststroke Fatigue: Emerging Evidence and Approaches to Management: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association

Abstract

At least half of all stroke survivors experience fatigue; thus, it is a common cause of concern for patients, caregivers, and clinicians after stroke. This scientific statement provides an international perspective on the emerging evidence surrounding the incidence, prevalence, quality of life, and complex pathogenesis of poststroke fatigue. Evidence for pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions for management are reviewed, as well as the effects of poststroke fatigue on both stroke survivors and caregivers.

Mental versus physical fatigue after subarachnoid hemorrhage: differential associations with outcome

“…However, mental fatigue and physical fatigue were more prevalent than mood disorders; ergo, a significant proportion of SAH patients with mental or physical fatigue were not depressed or anxious. This is all in line with findings in other subtypes of stroke, in which the theoretical distinction between fatigue on the one side and depression or anxiety on the other side is supported . Furthermore, higher levels of mental, not physical, fatigue were found in aSAH patients in the present study.…”

Moving Stroke Rehabilitation Research Evidence into Clinical Practice: Consensus-Based Core Recommendations From the Stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation Roundtable

“…14 There was general overlap between the consumer and health care provider priorities except for the topic of fatigue. While the Working Group acknowledged the high prevalence and considerable impact of fatigue, they felt that fatigue was not adequately treated in part due to the lack of effective treatments at this time, [15][16] and hence a need for further primary research rather than implementation activities. The topic of social isolation was also frequently raised by consumers, and to a lesser extent by healthcare providers and may reflect a lack of knowledge on how to assess or treat social isolation, or implement available treatments.…”

Stroke survivors’ experiences transitioning from hospital to home

“…Several studies have described fatigue from strokes as a physical experience that starts at stroke onset and continues for months after the stroke. They have further identified a lack of understanding of fatigue by ISSs once they are home (Hinkle et al., ). This study corroborates findings that fatigue was prevalent and consequential after discharge.…”