Your patient is a 62-year-old female who is alert and oriented and sitting at her kitchen table. Her husband describes an episode of slurred speech and facial drooping that lasted about 10 minutes and resolved just before your arrival. Physical examination is unremarkable. She has no significant medical history and takes no medications. HR = 78, BP = 134/78, RR = 12, SaO₂ = 99%. Which of the following is most likely?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms of slurred speech and facial drooping that resolved before arrival are consistent with a transient ischemic attack (TIA), sometimes referred to as a "mini-stroke." The lack of significant medical history and normal physical examination further support this possibility. Absence seizures typically present with brief periods of staring or unresponsiveness, but not with focal neurological deficit such as slurred speech and facial drooping. Ménière's disease is a chronic inner ear disorder characterized by vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss, and does not typically present with focal neurological symptoms.

Your Patient Is a 62-Year-Old Female Who Is Alert and Oriented