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Transient ischemic attack (TIA) has been described as a brief episode of focal neurologicaldys function caused by acute brain or retinal ischemia, without evidence of acute infarction. According to classical definition, acute focal symptoms of TIA resolve completely within 24 hours after the onset, however, their common duration is less than 1 hour. 33% of patients with transient neurological episode lasting up to 1 hour already have new ischemic lesions on diffusion weighted MRI scan, suggesting that 1 hour also does not demarcate events with and without brain tissue infarction. Therefore current guidelines endorse the following revised definition without any particular time-point: TIA - a transient episode of neurologicaldys function caused by focal brain, spinal cord, or retinal ischemia, without acute infarction. Transient ischemic attack has long been known as a precursor to ischaemic stroke. Up to 50% strokes after TIA occur within the first 2 days. The simple and reliable ABCD2 score was derived to provide a prediction of early stroke risk after TIA. Patients with TIA score risk points (indicated in parentheses) for each of the 5 following factors: age ≥60 years (1); blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg (1); clinical symptoms of focal weakness (2) or speech impairment without weakness (1); duration ≥60 minutes (2) or 10 to 59 minutes (1); diabetes (1). According to ABCD2 total scores stroke risk could be stratified as low (0-3), moderate (4-5) or high (6-7). Other suggested criteria of high risk of stroke after TIA are symptomatic carotid stenosis >50% and atrial fibrillation. Therefore ABCD2 score may be supplemented with carotid ultra sound evaluation and ECG. Recent SOSTIA and EXPRESS clinical trials evaluated the efficacy of early assessment and immediate implementation of preventive measures for patients after TIA. Results of urgent TIA management revealed up to 80% relative risk reduction of stroke within the following 90 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of stroke risk factors (RF), warning symptoms, treatment choice, and sources of information in Lithuanian community. Methods: In 2006 a questionnaire was given to 187 adults (aged from 18 to 80). They were asked about stroke RF, warning symptoms, treatment tactics, and information sources. Results: 87.2% participants of survey were able to correctly report that the brain is the affected organ in stroke. 96.3% of the subjects reported ⩾ 1 stroke RF, 50.3% - ⩾ 3 stroke RF. Respondents to 25 years old were more likely to correctly identify ⩾ 3 stroke RF compared with respondents aged 25 to 65 (p < 0.05) and respondents aged 65 and older (p <0.01). Respondents with the university education were more likely (p < 0.00 1) to correctly report ⩾ 3 stroke RF. 16.6% participants were able to correctly identify ⩾ 3 specific stroke warning signs, 71.7% - one or more specific signs. Most respondents (94.1%) said they would call emergency telephone if someone had a stroke. 95% referred that stroke victims should receive medical treatment in the first 3 hours. Main information sources were: personal experience (62), newspaper (62), TV/radio (61), medical personnel (41). Conclusions: Knowledge of stroke RF and warning symptoms among the survey participants is middling. Older subjects know less risk factors. Younger respondents and those with the university education were more likely to correctly identify three or more stroke RF and warning signs. Most respondents think that stroke is an urgent state and the treatment must be started immediately. They would call emergency telephone if someone had a stroke and it is a favorable condition for early hospitalization. The value of medical personnel as an information source is the smallest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]