Makindo Medical Notes"One small step for man, one large step for Makindo" |
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You are the medical student in A&E. A 72-year-old woman presents with left-sided weakness and slurred speech which started 1 hour ago. Take a focused history to assess if this is likely to be a stroke or TIA. Do not examine at this stage.
Domain | Marks | Details |
---|---|---|
Symptom onset/timing | 2 | Establishes exact time (key for thrombolysis). |
Neurological symptoms | 3 | Asks about weakness, speech, vision, sensation, balance. |
Risk factors/PMH | 2 | HTN, AF, diabetes, smoking, previous stroke. |
Drug history | 2 | Anticoagulants, antiplatelets. |
Closing | 1 | Summarises and checks understanding. |
In OSCEs, stroke cases hinge on time of onset — this determines eligibility for thrombolysis/thrombectomy. Always rule out mimics like hypoglycaemia. Mention risk factors (HTN, AF) and ask about anticoagulants (affects management). A structured stroke history shows examiners you are safe and systematic.