Capacidad de conducción tras un ictus: evaluación y recuperación / Driving ability after a stroke: evaluation and recovery

Introducción: La habilidad para conducir después de un ictus ha sido reconocida por muchos autores como un indicador de independencia y se asocia de forma significativa con una reintegración social adecuada. Sin embargo, no queda claro quién y cómo debe valorarse la capacidad de conducción de un individuo que ha sufrido un ictus. El proceso neurorrehabilitador es capaz de obtener mejorías en los pacientes que han sufrido un ictus y, por lo tanto, un paciente puede volver a estar capacitado para conducir tras un tratamiento neurorrehabilitador adecuado. El objetivo de este artículo es realizar una revisión de la literatura, con el fin de poner de manifiesto la evidencia actual respecto a los métodos de evaluación de la capacidad para conducir y de aquellas intervenciones llevadas a cabo para recuperar la capacidad de conducir. Desarrollo: Se llevó a cabo una búsqueda de la literatura de diferentes bases de datos entre 1993 y 2011. Se analizaron de forma individual los estudios realizados sobre la base de los métodos de evaluación de la capacidad de conducir y de intervención neurorrehabilitadora. Conclusiones: Se debe valorar de forma apropiada a todos los pacientes con un ictus en los que existen dudas sobre su capacidad de conducir. La forma adecuada de valorar a estos pacientes según la literatura es mediante una valoración multidisciplinar que determine quién está capacitado para someterse a un test en carretera. Los ejercicios de neurorrehabilitación existentes pueden mejorar la capacidad de conducir de los pacientes con ictus

Introduction: The ability to drive after a stroke has been recognised by many authors as a sign of independence and it is closely associated with proper social reintegration. However, it remains unclear how the driving ability of an individual who has suffered a stroke should be evaluated, and by whom. Neurorehabilitation can produce improvements in patients who have suffered a stroke, and patients may therefore be able to resume driving at the end of an appropriate neurorehabilitation programme. The aim of this article is to present a literature review in order to highlight current evidence regarding methods for assessing driving ability and therapeutic methods applied in order to recover a patient's ability to drive. Development: A literature search was performed in different databases for the period between 1993 and 2011. Studies were analysed individually based on methods for assessing driving ability and neurorehabilitation measures. Conclusions: If there are any doubts regarding stroke patients’ ability to drive, patients should be assessed appropriately. The proper way to assess these patients according to the literature is by employing a multidisciplinary evaluation to determine who is able to take a road test. Neurorehabilitation exercises currently in use may be able to improve driving ability in stroke patients

Driving ability after a stroke: evaluation and recovery.

INTRODUCTION: The ability to drive after a stroke has been recognised by many authors as a sign of independence and it is closely associated with proper social reintegration. However, it remains unclear how the driving ability of an individual who has suffered a stroke should be evaluated, and by whom. Neurorehabilitation can produce improvements in patients who have suffered a stroke, and patients may therefore be able to resume driving at the end of an appropriate neurorehabilitation programme. The aim of this article is to present a literature review in order to highlight current evidence regarding methods for assessing driving ability and therapeutic methods applied in order to recover a patient's ability to drive. DEVELOPMENT: A literature search was performed in different databases for the period between 1993 and 2011. Studies were analysed individually based on methods for assessing driving ability and neurorehabilitation measures. CONCLUSIONS: If there are any doubts regarding stroke patients' ability to drive, patients should be assessed appropriately. The proper way to assess these patients according to the literature is by employing a multidisciplinary evaluation to determine who is able to take a road test. Neurorehabilitation exercises currently in use may be able to improve driving ability in stroke patients.