TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK

Course overview

A TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACK (TIA) IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. IT IS DEFINED AS A TRANSIENT EPISODE OF NEUROLOGIC DYSFUNCTION DUE TO FOCAL BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, OR RETINAL ISCHEMIA, WITHOUT ACUTE INFARCTION OR TISSUE INJURY. EVALUATION OF TIA SHOULD BE DONE URGENTLY WITH IMAGING AND LABORATORY STUDIES TO DECREASE THE RISK OF SUBSEQUENT STROKES. IMMEDIATE MULTIMODAL THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS SHOULD BE INITIATED. SPECIFIC UNDERLYING ETIOLOGY NEEDS TO BE MANAGED ACCORDINGLY. THIS TREATMENT SCHEME MAY SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE THE RISK OF RECURRENT STROKES OR FUTURE TIA BY AT LEAST 80 PERCENT. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.