Patients with a score of 4 or more – refer for specialist assessment within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. This may require admission to hospital.
Patients with a score of 0-3 – refer for specialist assessment as soon as possible, but definitely within one week of onset of symptoms.
Patients who present more than a week after their last symptoms have resolved – treat as per patients who score 0-3.
Reference: Johnston SC, Rothwell PM, Huynh-Huynh MN, Giles MF, Elkins JS, Sidney S, "Validation and refinement of scores to predict very early stroke risk after transient ischemic attack," Lancet, 369:283-292, 2007.