TIAs and Strokes Symptoms resolve within 24 hours. Note: Is the patient orientated Is the patient able to understand you? Are you able to understand the patient? Tells me what happened or describe what happened? Ask the patient to rate the severity ? When did this happen? Does it come and go? How long the deficits or symptoms have lasted for? Have you had anything like this before? If yes -> worse this time or last time? And ask them to describe what would happen in previous episodes. What were you doing when it happened? What deficits occurred? Are there any residual deficits? Differentiate between dysarthria and dysphagia: Dysarthria: Motor speech disorder resulting in poor articulation disorder. Dysphasia: Expressive -> difficulty in speech generation i.e. difficulty forming sentences. Receptive -> difficulty in speech comprehension. Associated features: Headache Nausea Vomit Beck stiffness Weakness Distribution Severity Onset and duration Course. Sensory disturbances Distribution Palpitations Fevers Speech disturbances Did you know what you wanted to say but could not get it out -> expressive dysphasia Were you able to understand what they were saying as it they were speaking gibberish? -> receptive dysphagia. Was your speech slurred and sounded like you were drunk? Visual disturbances. Ask about type of visual disturbance. Dysphagia Ataxia Any changes to your balance or coordination. Impact on ability to walk and carry out tasks. Reduced level of consciousness Pain Which has is your dominant hand? Medications Prescription Nonprescription Past medical history Surgical history Allergies Family history Social history Diet Smoking Drinking Recreational drugs Travel