A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is a clinical situation when the brain does not receive enough blood. The clinical manifestation of TIA is very similar to a classic stroke, with the only difference that any neurological deficits resolve spontaneously within 24 hours. Each speech impairment or a sudden restriction of mobility, especially one-sided, should cause concern and is an indication for an urgent medical consultation.
A transient ischemic attackorTIA(transient ischemic attack) is very often a kind of prelude to a serious clinical condition known as stroke. The aetiology of the disease is relatively simple. Vessels changed as a result of atherosclerosis lose their elasticity and become stiff.
Blood clots, even from the neck vessels, can then effectively impede the blood supply to the brain. In the case ofTIA , the clot dissolves relatively easily, thus restoring normal blood flow, which translates into the disappearance of the current symptoms of ischemia.
How to recognize a transient ischemic attack?
To talk aboutTIAall symptoms of a neurological deficit should resolve within 24 hours of their onset. The most pathognomonic symptoms indicative of cerebral ischemia are:
- paralysis of the limbs, usually unilateral, in many cases involving the facial area
- speech disorders - speech impairment, incomprehensible speech, aphasia
- tingling in some parts of the body
- visual impairment, usually monocular temporary eye blindness
- dizziness
- difficulty maintaining balance
- no coordination of movements
- memory impairment
- lack of orientation in time, the so-called confusion
The image of TIA is so characteristic that the initial diagnosis can be made on the basis of the symptomatology itself.
To confirm assumptions, diagnostic tests are performed, mainly imaging:
- CT (computed tomography) to exclude a stroke,
- EKG allowing to indicate the etiology of the transientischemia - atrial fibrillation or other heart diseases.
In many centers, ultrasound of the neck is also performed, which assesses the patency of the cervical vessels.
TIA treatment and prevention
Treatment of TIA is primarily to remove the root cause of ischemia. The presence of blood clots causing obliteration of the vessels obliges the doctor to start taking medications with a blood-thinning effect.
Patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation should be prescribed the constant intake of antithrombotic drugs. A more radical treatment is an invasive procedure that widens the narrowed vessel by inserting a narrow tube.
Preventive treatment is extremely important in order to minimize the likelihood of atherosclerosis. It is necessary to modify the lifestyle - quit smoking, regular physical activity or a he althy diet with a three-hour interval between meals.
The factors pretending to appear a transient ischemic attack are:
- high cholesterol,
- hypertension,
- alcohol abuse,
- overweight with a tendency to obesity.
Each neurological deficit supporting TIA, especially with visible motor symptoms, should be differentiated from partial epileptic seizure, migraine, cerebral hemorrhage, disseminated sclerosis, especially when the first symptom is a sudden decrease in visual acuity.
Worth knowingIt is estimated that after the first episodeTIA10.5% of people will have a stroke within the next 3 months, and half of them will have a stroke within 2 years .
A stroke is more likely to occur if:
- the patient's age is over 60 (1 point)
- blood pressure is higher than 140/90 (1 point)
- one-sided movement symptoms occur (2 points)
- aphasia occurs (1 point)
- symptoms last more than 1 hour (2 points) or less than 1 hour (1 point)
- coexists with diabetes (1 point)
The greater the number of points (the maximum is 8), the greater the risk of a stroke.