Extracellular Vesicles and Dysregulated Coagulation in the Prediction of Stroke

The inclusion criteria for phase 1 (initial patient recruitment) will be:

• Patients with or without diagnosis of TIA made by a physician working in stroke medicine, sufficiently so to start post-TIA care or so that no further investigation is thought necessary to confirm or refute the diagnosis.
• TIA confirmed patient has been prescribed antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants.
• Patients must be aged > 18 years.
• Patients are taking an ordinary diet by mouth.

The inclusion criteria for phase 2 (patient representing with stroke) will be:

• Radiological evidence, on CT and/or MR imaging of the brain of cerebral infarction, with or without secondary haemorrhage.
• The underlying mechanism of cerebral infarction is embolic from a cardiac source (e.g. atrial fibrillation), atherothromboembolic (from aorta or other large vessels in the neck) or in-situ thrombosis. No further investigations are thought necessary to confirm or refute the diagnosis.
• No further investigations are thought necessary to confirm or refute the diagnosis.
• Patients must be aged >18 years.
• Patients must not be pregnant or breast feeding.
• Patients are taking an ordinary diet by mouth. Exclusion Criteria

The Exclusion criteria for phase 1 (initial patient recruitment) will be:

• Inability to give consent.
• Inability to feed by mouth.
• Short life expectancy.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Symptoms are readily explained by medical problems not involving focal cerebral ischaemia.

The Exclusion criteria for phase 2 (patient representing with stroke) will be:

• Patients who have not previously given consent for follow up blood sampling.
• Patients who are unable to feed by mouth.
• Patients in whom life expectancy is short.
• Patient is pregnant or breast feeding.