This book was born from the synthesis of the rapidly proliferating field of cerebrovascular disease research, excitement about effective new imaging and therapeutic strategies, and the need to timely educate clinicians about the changing playing field for a common, serious and expensive syndrome - transient ischemic attacks (TIA). TIAs can now stand on their own as an important, and, at times, unique aspect of symptomatic cerebrovascular disease, distinct enough to warrant a textbook in its own right. With new information on a worrisome and serious natural history, growing knowledge of risk factors and their management, sophisticated neuroimaging techniques, and a broadening armamentarium of therapeutic approaches, the clinician is now faced with multiple levels of decision making. Does one admit the patient with a recent TIA to the hospital? What are the optimal imaging and diagnostic strategies? What antiplatelet agent to use? What is the role for surgery and interventional techniques? How do I optimally control associated risk factors? This book serves to provide the most current information to help guide clinicians through the best decisions to care for their patients, using evidence-based recommendations when available and expert opinion when no good data exist.

List of Contributors.Foreword.Preface.Part I. Clinical Background.Chapter 1. The Epidemiology of Transient Ischemic Attacks.(Matthew L. Flaherty, MD and Robert D. Brown, Jr., MD).Chapter 2. Pathophysiology of Brain Ischemia. (Jin-Moo Lee, MD,PhD, Abdullah M. Nassief, MD, and Chung Y. Hsu, MD, PhD).Chapter 3. Clinical Syndromes Brain. (Sandeep Kumar, MD andLouis R.Caplan, MD).Chapter 4. Clinical Syndromes Ocular: Transient VisualLoss. (Gregory P. Van Stavern, MD).Part II. Diagnostic Studies.Chapter 5. Head CT and MRI Findings in Patients with TransientIschemic Attacks. (Chelsea S. Kidwell, MD and Jeffrey L. Saver,MD).Chapter 6. Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)and Positron Emission Tomography (PET).(Colin P. Derdeyn, MD and William J. Powers, MD).Chapter 7. Cerebrovascular Ultrasound. (Janet L. Wilterdink,MD).Chapter 8. Cardiac Diagnostic Studies. (Marco R. Di Tullio, MDand Shunichi Homma, MD).Chapter 9. Coagulation Studies. (Karen Furie, MD, MPH, Peter J.Kelly, MB, BCh, MmedSc, and J. Philip Kistler, MD).Part III. Medical Therapy.Chapter 10. Antiplatelet Therapy. (Michael J. Schneck, MD).Chapter 11. Role of Oral Anticoagulants. (RKT Chan, MBBS,MRCP(UK), Seemant Chaturvedi MD, and Patrick Pullicino, MD,PhD).Chapter 12. Heparin and Related Compounds. (James F. Meschia,MD).Chapter 13. Diabetes Mellitus Treatment. (George Grunberger, MDand Fadi Al-Khayer, MD).Chapter 14. Hypertension Treatment. (John M. Flack, MD, MPH,Neel Patel, MD, Vishal Mehra, MD, and Samar Nasser, PAC).Chapter 15. Other Medical Therapies. (Bradley S. Jacobs, MD, MS,Mar Castellanos, MD, and Ramesh Madhavan, MD).Chapter 16. Thrombolysis for Acute TIA and Mild Stroke. (MichaelR. Frankel, MD and James Bichsel, MD).Part IV. Surgical and Interventional Treatments andCost-Effectiveness.Chapter 17. Surgery for Stroke Prevention. (Larry B. Goldstein,MD).Chapter 18. Angioplasty and Stenting. (Alex Abou-Chebl, MD andJay S. Yadav, MD).Chapter 19. Cost Effectiveness Issues. (Susan L. Hickenbottom,MD, MS).Chapter 20. Clinical Vignettes. (Seemant Chaturvedi, MD).Index.