With CVA/TIA onset of symptoms is everything. There is a narrow window where strong clot busters, TPA, can be “safely” administered to clear a possible occlusion. Slurred speech vs unintelligible isn’t really what matters, it’s when her last known normal was. 4 hours is all one has to be eligible for TPA.
You said your wife had a CT of the brain? That’s useful for ruling out mass, bleed and old strokes but useless for picking up the subtle sign of new stroke. Our work up always includes a MRI which is conclusive, echocardiogram and a carotid ultrasound.
The thought is to look at the pump, the plumbing and the brain to see how we got here.
I assume your wife was placed on aspirin and a statin?
MRI wasn’t done because of her pacemaker. She is on low dose aspirin and a statin. Ultrasound done of her heart. Not sure on the carotid ultrasound. She doesn’t remember if it was done after they took her to her room. I wasn’t allowed beyond ER. That wasn’t in the discharge notes. Waiting to hear back from the doc to get that question answered.
