CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Management and outcomes of transient ischemic attacks in Ontario.
Canadian data on the characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) are lacking. We studied prospectively a cohort of consecutive patients presenting with TIA to the emergency department of 4 regional stroke centres in Ontario. ⋯ Patients in whom TIA is diagnosed in the emergency department have high immediate and short-term risks of stroke. However, their condition is underinvestigated and undertreated compared with stroke: many do not receive the minimum recommended diagnostic tests within 30 days. We need greater efforts to improve the timely delivery of care for TIA patients, along with investigation of treatments administered early after TIA to prevent stroke.
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Review Case Reports
The patient with transient cerebral ischemia: a golden opportunity for stroke prevention.
Transient ischemic attack (TIA) provides a golden opportunity for stroke prevention. TIA should be treated as a medical emergency with prompt investigations to determine the mechanism of ischemia and subsequent preventive therapy. ⋯ The risk is time-dependent with 50% of the risk accruing in the first 48 hours. In this review, we describe the diagnosis and management of TIA, introduce new concepts in TIA and suggest that all patients with significant TIA should undergo rapid investigation and management to prevent stroke.