Secondary prevention

 

What investigations are essential?

Recommendations 5.1.1

A. Every patient who has had a stroke or TIA and in whom secondary prevention is appropriate should be investigated for risk factors as soon as possible and certainly within 1 week of onset. At a minimum, this includes checking for:

• Raised blood pressure (sustained over 130/90 mmHg)
• Hyperlipidaemia
• Diabetes mellitus

What other investigations might be needed?

B. For patients who have had an ischaemic stroke or TIA the following risk factors should also be checked for:

• atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias
• carotid artery stenosis (only for people likely to benefit from surgery)
• structural and functional cardiac disease

In any patient where no common cause is identified, fuller investigation for other rare causes should be undertaken.