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Stroke and transient ischaemic attack - Management
Goals
- For people with a suspected acute stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) and ongoing neurological symptoms and signs:
- To promptly recognize the symptoms and signs
- To arrange for transfer to a specialist stroke service in hospital as soon as possible for specialist assessment so that:
- Thrombolysis treatment, if appropriate, can be started within 3 hours of onset of symptoms
- Brain and carotid artery imaging, for those who need it, can be performed without delay
- Management of functional impairments and speech and swallowing difficulties can be started without delay
- For people who have recently had a suspected TIA:
- To accurately assess their risk of early stroke
- To start preventive treatment and arrange specialist assessment and investigation with appropriate urgency
- For people who have had a stroke or TIA:
- To check that appropriate measures for secondary prevention have been started, and are being continued and reviewed
- To recognize and manage the consequences and complications of stroke
- To enable as full as possible participation in community life
- To enable as full as possible participation in paid, supported, or voluntary employment
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