Printed on 2/13/2026
For informational purposes only. This is not medical advice.
The ABCD² score is a clinical prediction tool that estimates the 2-day and 7-day risk of stroke following a transient ischemic attack (TIA). It uses five clinical parameters: Age, Blood pressure, Clinical features, Duration of symptoms, and Diabetes. Higher scores indicate greater risk of subsequent stroke and guide the urgency of workup and admission decisions.
Formula: ABCD² = Age(0–1) + BP(0–1) + Clinical(0–2) + Duration(0–2) + Diabetes(0–1)
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your health.
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ABCD² stands for Age, Blood pressure, Clinical features, Duration, and Diabetes. It scores 0–7 and predicts the risk of stroke within 2 and 7 days after a TIA. It helps clinicians decide how urgently a TIA patient needs evaluation and whether hospital admission is warranted.
Low risk (0–3): 2-day stroke risk ~1%. Moderate risk (4–5): 2-day risk ~4.1%. High risk (6–7): 2-day risk ~8.1%. Higher-risk patients typically warrant urgent imaging, admission, and dual antiplatelet therapy.
Current guidelines recommend that high-risk patients (ABCD² ≥ 4) should be admitted or evaluated urgently (within 24 hours). Low-risk patients may be safely evaluated as outpatients with rapid access to imaging and specialist review within 24–48 hours. Clinical judgment should supplement the score.
Brain MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), neurovascular imaging (CTA or MRA of head and neck), echocardiography, cardiac monitoring for atrial fibrillation, and standard labs. Dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin + clopidogrel for 21 days) is recommended for high-risk TIA.