Transient ischemic attack: review for the emergency physician

Abstract

In the past few years, the approach to patients with transient ischemic attacks has undergone a transformation. To care for these patients, emergency physicians must understand these changes. They must be comfortable with the diagnosis and treatment of transient ischemic attacks in their emergency department. To this end, we ask and answer the following 6 important questions in this up-to-date review of transient ischemic attacks: (1) How is a transient ischemic attack defined? (2) Does this patient have a transient ischemic attack? (3) Once diagnosed, what diagnostic evaluation should be done (and when)? (4) What treatment should be instituted (and when)? (5) What is the correct disposition? and (6) What are the current medical guidelines?