TIA ED Encounters With Incomplete Neurovascular Imaging Associated With Higher Odds of Subsequent Stroke

Background: Just under one-fourth of a million people in the United States experience a transient ischemic attack (TIA) annually. These patients are at increased risk of subsequent stroke due to underlying cervical or intracranial vasculopathy. Society guidelines recommend performing prompt neuroimaging (urgent MRI, or CT, and complete neurovascular evaluation) of patients who present with TIA, preferably within 48 hours of symptom onset. This will direct timely disease-specific treatment. Anywhere from 7.5% to 17.4% of patients with TIA who do not receive early treatment will experience a stroke within the ensuing 3 months. Unfortunately, most patients do not receive a complete neurovascular imaging workup during their emergency department (ED) visits, and 70.1% who were discharged from the ED with TIA and who had an incomplete imaging workup did not complete the imaging workup as an outpatient. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between incomplete neurovascular imaging workup more...