title: Transient ischaemic attacks - assessment and management.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) can be challenging to diagnose, but early assessment and effective management can reduce the subsequent risk of stroke.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article reviews the assessment and management of TIAs for general practitioners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transient ischaemic attacks can be a trap for the unwary, with difficulty in making a diagnosis and varied assessment and management pathways. There is a significant risk of subsequent stroke. Early assessment and initiation of treatment, which can take place in the general practice setting, could lower the risk of stroke. Liaising with regional stroke care centres is required to establish an optimal pathway of care.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South Australia. elaine.leung@optusnet.com.au
authors.forename: Elaine S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: M Anne
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hamilton-Bruce
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Koblar
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058005:General Practitioners; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D055502:Secondary Prevention
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors