My husband is diabetic and also has Alzheimer's, recently he just sort of stopped talking and I wondered if he was having stroke. He recovered after an hour or two but the doctors said that it was not a stroke, how can you tell?
Strokes are also called CVAs (Cerebral Vascular Accidents) They are an interruption of normal blood flow to some part of the brain. Commonly plugged up flow (embolism) but it can also be a bleed.
The hall mark is that the symptoms happen suddenly. In AD, speech problems develop over months/years. In a stroke it is minutes (generally an hour or less).
Other symptoms that also suggest a stroke such as weakness/paralysis of their arms or legs on one side. (hold both arms forward with palms down. Close their eyes and see if one hand drops) A drooping smile or drooling are also signs.
The definitive diagnosis is to see a lack of blood flow (or bleeding) on a CT scan. If there is a history of prior strokes then differing between new & old damage may be difficult.
Diabetic? A low blood sugar level CAN cause ALL the symptoms of a stroke(!) Comes on fast and affects the neurological system. This is diagnosed with a blood sugar test (Glucometer) or giving food (sugar) and seeing the symptoms disappear.
But again the SPEED that the symptoms come and go is the biggest sign.
Stretching it, but an AD brain MIGHT also have seizure activity that could possibly result in symptoms also.
If the dr. didn't think it was a stroke...did they tell you what they thought it was? My dh had what I thought and the hospice dr. and nurse both agreed was several TIA's. He couldn't talk but that only lasted a few minutes and he was very unsteady on his feet, but that too only lasted a few minutes. He did complain about his head hurting,