Stroke: classification, recognition, diagnosis, care

Definition and WHO time-based concept

The World Health Organization (WHO) time-based concept defines a stroke as a neurological deficit of cerebrovascular cause that either persists beyond 24 hours or results in death within 24 hours. This 24-hour cutoff was intended to reflect the (then-assumed) reversibility of tissue damage and to distinguish stroke from related conditions based on symptom duration. Under this concept, if neurological symptoms resolve completely within 24 hours, the event is classified as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a “mini-stroke.” Although this definition is historically important, modern practice increasingly emphasizes rapid treatment and urgency (e.g., “brain attack” or “acute ischemic cerebrovascular syndrome”) because early interventions can reduce stroke severity even when the original 24-hour framing is not the most practical guide for action.

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Ischemic stroke causes and mechanisms

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