Concise guidelines: Transient ischaemic attack

Diagnosis and initial management of transient ischaemic attack

These guidelines were originally published in Clinical Medicine, volume 10 issue 2.

Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is the sudden onset of focal neurological dysfunction of presumed vascular origin that, by definition, resolves within 24 hours, and usually much sooner. Recently, its importance as a predictor of completed stroke in the following hours or days has been recognised, but many healthcare professionals are unaware of this and of the importance of taking immediate action.

This concise guidance summarises the TIA component of the updated  National Clinical Guideline for stroke,  providing tools that healthcare professionals can use to identify patients at risk and recommending an urgent response to TIA to prevent subsequent stroke.