You'll probably be given low-dose aspirin straight after a suspected TIA. Aspirin works as an antiplatelet medicine. Platelets are blood cells that help blood to clot. Antiplatelet medicines work by reducing the ability of platelets to stick together and form blood clots.
Treatment with clopidogrel-aspirin started within 12 hours after minor ischemic stroke or high-risk TIA and continued for 90 days reduces major ischemic events at the cost of a small increase in major hemorrhage.
Streib recommends that all patients visit an emergency room during or immediately after a TIA to receive imaging of their brain and blood vessels. These scans can inform patients and providers of the cause of their TIA and their immediate stroke risk. Scans also help them decide upon a treatment plan.
Encouraging people to take aspirin if they think they may have had a TIA or minor stroke – experiencing sudden-onset unfamiliar neurological symptoms – could help to address this situation, particularly if urgent medical help is unavailable. '
Do not eat too much of any single food, particularly processed foods and foods high in salt. You should limit the amount of salt you eat to no more than 6g a day because too much salt will increase your blood pressure. 6g of salt is about 1 teaspoon.
Most people, and even many doctors, don't realize that the risk of a second stroke is as high as 12.8 percent in the first week after a TIA (transient ischemic attack). If you do not change certain lifestyle factors, the risk of a second stroke within the next five years can be as high as 30 percent.
You must not drive for at least one month after any TIA and then must discuss with your doctor before resuming driving.
“We have since learned that in an era where we control hypertension and high cholesterol better for primary prevention, aspirin may be only minimally beneficial with an increased bleeding risk, especially for older adults,” Dr. Ziaeian says.
The blockage responsible for most TIAs is usually caused by a blood clot that has travelled to the blood vessels supplying the brain. A type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation can also cause TIAs.
A transient ischaemic attack or TIA is also known as a mini-stroke. It is the same as a stroke, except that the symptoms only last for a short amount of time. This is because the blockage that stops the blood getting to your brain is temporary.
Fatigue can happen after any type of stroke, and you can have severe fatigue after a relatively mild stroke or a TIA. Even if you have made a full physical recovery, or your stroke was some time ago, fatigue can still be a problem.
The length of TIAs differs for individuals but symptoms do not last more than 24 hours. Some people might have more than one TIA and it is possible to have several TIAs in a short space of time (for example, several TIAs within a day).
Blood-thinning medication lowers the risk of blood clots forming. If you have had a TIA or an ischaemic stroke you will almost always need to take blood-thinners.
If you have a stroke due to a clot in the brain (known as an ischaemic stroke) or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), you will probably need to start taking blood-thinning medication. This is a long-term treatment to reduce your risk of having another stroke.
A TIA is a warning that you're at risk of having a full stroke in the near future. An assessment can help doctors determine the best way to reduce the chances of this happening.
Risk factors for TIA include family history of stroke or TIA, age above 55 years or older, higher risk of TIA in males than females, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and tobacco smoking. Genetics, race, and imbalance in lipid profile are other risk factors of TIA.
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.
"What we found is that compared to older studies, aspirin appears to have less benefit from cardiovascular disease," Dr. John Wong, a physician at Tufts Medical Center and a member of the task force, told NPR in November. "And there's an increasing risk of bleeding as people age," he says.
Because of bleeding risks, some guidelines say that people age 60 and older without known heart or blood vessel disease should not start taking a daily aspirin to prevent a first-time heart attack or stroke. However, guidelines vary among organizations.
For many years, you might have assumed that taking a low dose of daily aspirin was a good way to prevent strokes or heart attacks or protect heart health. Over time, however, multiple studies showed that this habit could cause serious complications, including an increased internal bleeding risk.
The blockage in the blood vessels responsible for most TIAs is usually caused by a blood clot that's formed elsewhere in your body and travelled to the blood vessels supplying the brain. It can also be caused by pieces of fatty material or air bubbles.
After your stroke, you may find that you lack energy and feel extremely tired. This may affect your ability to concentrate and maintain alertness while you drive. If you have any seizures after your stroke, you must stop driving and need to tell the DVLA/DVA.
You may have more than one TIA , and the recurrent signs and symptoms may be similar or different depending on which area of the brain is involved.
While exercise is necessary for good health and recovery after stroke, it's important for patients to avoid overexercising. Pushing the body too hard can potentially result in regression or exacerbate conditions like post-stroke fatigue.