Neurology

Transient ischaemic attack

A transient focal neurological syndrome caused by cerebral, spinal or retinal ischaemia without acute infarction; symptoms may resolve quickly, but the event is a medical warning that requires immediate aspirin and specialist assessment within 24 hours.

Definition

A transient ischaemic attack is a transient episode of focal neurological dysfunction caused by focal brain, spinal cord or retinal ischaemia without acute infarction. Symptoms usually resolve completely, but there is no safe symptom-duration threshold that makes specialist assessment unnecessary.

First principles

TIA is defined by tissue outcome, not a memorised time limit

A transient ischaemic attack is a transient focal neurological syndrome caused by ischaemia without acute infarction. Symptoms often last minutes or hours and resolve completely, but duration alone does not distinguish TIA from stroke; a persistent deficit is managed as suspected stroke and an MRI may show an infarct despite clinical recovery.

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