What is the approximate risk of a stroke within 48 hours after a transient ischemic attack?

• A. 50%
• B. 5%
• C. 90%
• D. 20%

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that a TIA is a warning sign for a real stroke risk, especially in the immediate days after the event. The earliest 48 hours carry the highest danger because the same vascular issues that caused the TIA—such as embolic sources, carotid disease, or other vascular risk factors—can still precipitate an infarct.

Current estimates place the chance of an ischemic stroke within 48 hours after a TIA at roughly five percent, with some sources reporting up to around ten percent. That rate is much lower than fifty percent. Because the risk is greatest right after the TIA, urgent evaluation and management are crucial to prevent a full stroke: prompt imaging, vascular assessment, and initiation of appropriate preventive therapy and risk-factor modification.

So, the best matched figure to the real risk is about five percent within the first 48 hours.