Detecting cognitive impairment in clients with mild stroke or transient ischemic attack attending a stroke prevention...

Twenty clients diagnosed with probable transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke attending a stroke prevention clinic (SPC) were screened for cognitive function, as one inclusion criteria for a pilot study examining medication adherence and hypertension management. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered at study admission followed by a second screening within two weeks using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool. Individual scores for the MMSE and MoCA were compared. Results demonstrated that the majority (90%) of participants scored in the normal range (> or = 26) on the MMSE (m = 27.9 sd 2.15). However, more than half (55%) of participants had some degree of cognitive impairment based on MoCA scores of < 26 (m = 23.65 sd = 4.082). MoCA scores demonstrated a wider range (Range = 16) compared to the range of MMSE scores (Range = 8). MoCA scores were significantly (p = < 0.05) lower than the MMSE scores. Findings from this pilot study suggest that the MoCA test will identify more deficits in cognition among SPC clients diagnosed with cerebrovascular disease. Further investigation is underway to determine the implications of these deficits on SPC clients' abilities to follow medication and other treatment regimens.