Yes. Although your risk of having a stroke is higher if you have already had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA or mini-stroke), you can reduce your risk of another stroke. It's important that you take the medication that you're prescribed, and make any lifestyle changes you need.
The risk of subsequent stroke after a transient ischemic attack is between 2% and 17% within the first 90 days after the initial event. Understanding the mechanism of the stroke syndrome allows a rational approach to early intervention.
Although the symptoms of a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) resolve in a few minutes or hours without any specific treatment, you'll need treatment to help prevent another TIA or a full stroke from happening in the future. A TIA is a warning sign that you're at increased risk of having a full stroke in the near future.
A TIA is temporary and people make a full recovery within a short period of time. 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).
TIAs look like strokes in terms of signs and symptoms, but they are temporary. In other words, they leave no lasting brain damage or residual symptoms. However, they serve as a warning sign that a person is at higher risk of a major stroke and should seek immediate medical attention.
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.
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.
The sooner you intervene, the better. If you ever encounter anyone experiencing mini stroke symptoms, dial 9-1-1 immediately. It is important to be evaluated as soon as possible following a mini stroke, because you may require emergency treatment in order to prevent or minimize irreversible damage.
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.
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.
[3] In people who have a TIA, the incidence of subsequent stroke is as high as 11% over the next 7 days and 24-29% over the following 5 years.
This can cause sudden symptoms similar to a stroke, such as speech and visual disturbance, and numbness or weakness in the face, arms and legs. But a TIA does not last as long as a stroke. The effects last a few minutes to a few hours and fully resolve within 24 hours.
If you have had a TIA or an ischaemic stroke you will almost always need to take blood-thinners. There are two types of blood thinners: Antiplatelet medication. Antiplatelet medicines stop tiny blood cells called platelets from sticking together and forming a blood clot.
Aspirin is recommended for secondary prevention after transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ischaemic stroke on the basis of trials showing a 13% reduction in long-term risk of recurrent stroke.
The clot dissolves on its own and all symptoms resolve within 24 hours. Although TIA isn't a stroke, the condition should be treated just as seriously. Experiencing TIA is a warning that you may be at high risk for a stroke. To address this risk, it should be treated immediately.
Taking blood-thinning medication is often one of the main ways you can reduce your risk of a stroke if you have had a stroke or TIA, or have a heart condition. By reducing the risk of clots forming, they give you a much greater chance of recovering and staying healthy after a stroke.
Even if your mobility is restricted after a stroke, it is likely you will be able to carry out some form of exercise to improve your overall wellbeing.
You must stop driving for at least 1 month after a transient ischaemic attack ( TIA ) or mini-stroke. This includes amaurosis fugax or retinal artery fugax. You can restart only when your doctor tells you it is safe.
The underlying cause of a TIA often is a buildup of cholesterol-containing fatty deposits called plaques (atherosclerosis) in an artery or one of its branches that supplies oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Plaques can decrease the blood flow through an artery or lead to the development of a clot.
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.
A few risk scores have been developed to identify high-risk TIA or minor stroke patients, for instance, the ABCD2 score, which has been commonly used in research and in clinical practice. Patients with an ABCD2 score≥4 are generally considered as high-risk patients (5, 6).
Although the symptoms of a TIA stop on their own, you'll need treatment to help reduce the risk of another TIA or a full stroke. Appropriate treatment following a TIA can help to reduce your risk of having one. Your doctor will tell you about lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your stroke risk.
You will likely have a head CT scan or brain MRI. A stroke may show changes on these tests, but TIAs will not.
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.