Seek medical attention immediately. Many people experiencing a TIA don't seek medical attention right away—often because the symptoms may seem minor or because the person believes they will go away. That's dangerous, Streib said. At the time symptoms occur, a TIA and a stroke are difficult to tell apart.
TIA symptoms
A TIA is a medical emergency, the same as a stroke. If you spot the signs of a TIA or stroke, call 999. Don't wait to see if the symptoms pass.
All types of strokes — including TIAs — require immediate medical attention. Because a TIA may eventually lead to a larger stroke, diagnosis and treatment are important.
That means that with every second you wait for treatment, the brain damage gets worse. If a stroke is untreated for the full 10 hours, the brain ages up to 36 years! With every minute you wait, the brain loses two million brain cells.
Even if a major stroke is avoided, repeated mini strokes can have a cumulative negative effect on one's brain health and cognitive function. In severe cases, vascular dementia may result from untreated cerebrovascular events.
If a TIA is suspected, you should be offered aspirin to take straight away. This helps to prevent a stroke. Even if the symptoms disappear while you're waiting for an ambulance to arrive, you still need to be assessed in hospital. You should be referred to see a specialist within 24 hours of the onset of your symptoms.
The typical length of a hospital stay after a stroke is five to seven days. During this time, the stroke care team will evaluate the effects of the stroke, which will determine the rehabilitation plan.
Never ignore symptoms of a TIA. Stroke risk is highest in the hours and days after a TIA, even if your symptoms resolve. Call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance, even if your symptoms disappear.
Always treat a TIA as seriously as you would a stroke. "Even though the symptoms resolve, there might be damage to the brain, so you need to see a neurologist," Dr. Rost advises.
“Ignoring any stroke sign could be a deadly mistake,” says Mitch Elkind, M.D., chair of the American Stroke Association. The Association recommends calling for emergency help immediately, even if the symptoms go away. Acting fast can improve your chances of accurate diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA), also called a mini stroke, is a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, often indicating that a larger stroke is coming.
Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of these signs of stroke appear: Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech; Trouble seeing in one or both eyes; Trouble walking, dizziness, or problems with balance; severe headache with no known cause.
Recognising the signs of a TIA
Face – the face may have dropped on 1 side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have drooped. Arms – the person may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there, because of weakness or numbness in one arm.
The American Heart Association guideline on TIA states that “it is reasonable to hospitalize patients with TIA if they present within 72 hours” if the predicted risk of stroke is high or an outpatient work-up cannot be completed within 2 days; however, this statement has a “C” level of evidence.
The disruption in blood supply results in a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can cause sudden symptoms like those of a stroke. However, a TIA does not last as long as a stroke. The effects only last for a few minutes or hours and fully resolve within 24 hours.
Seek emergency care immediately if a stroke is suspected. Stroke symptoms include: Sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis and drooping of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body. Suddenly blurred or decreased vision in one or both eyes.
Blood clots are the leading cause of ministrokes. When there's a clot in an artery that's connected to the brain, blood can't flow as freely as it needs to, which means the brain doesn't get the oxygen it needs to work properly.
Diagnosis and Tests
The doctor will do some simple quick checks to test your vision, muscle strength, and ability to think and speak. Diagnostic testing consists of either a computed tomogram (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain and carotid arteries to determine the possible cause of the TIA.
To treat an ischemic stroke, doctors must quickly restore blood flow to the brain. This may be done with: Emergency IV medication. Therapy with drugs that can break up a clot has to be given within 4.5 hours from when symptoms first started if given intravenously.
Blood tests for stroke. There is no blood test that can diagnose a stroke. However, in the hospital, your doctor or nurse may do a series of blood tests to learn the cause of your stroke symptoms: Complete blood count (CBC).
Conclusions. Higher levels of stress, hostility and depressive symptoms are associated with significantly increased risk of incident stroke or TIA in middle-aged and older adults.
Commonly these included arm and limb weakness or numbness, slurred speech, memory problems, confusion and visual difficulties. In most cases the symptoms improved over time. Some people experienced just one residual symptom, whereas other people had a combination of different ones.
Although a TIA should not have a long-term impact on your daily activities, you must stop driving immediately. If your doctor is happy that you have made a good recovery and there are no lasting effects after 1 month, you can start driving again.
Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, usually on one side of the body. Trouble speaking or understanding. Problems with vision, such as dimness or loss of vision in one or both eyes. Dizziness or problems with balance or coordination.