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Summary
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a stroke that lasts only a few minutes. It happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly blocked. Symptoms of a TIA are like other stroke symptoms, but do not last as long. They happen suddenly, and include
- Numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body
- Confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Difficulty walking
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance or coordination
Most symptoms of a TIA disappear within an hour, although they may last for up to 24 hours. Because you cannot tell if these symptoms are from a TIA or a stroke, you should go to the hospital right away.
TIAs are often a warning sign for future strokes. Taking medicine, such as blood thinners, may reduce your risk of a stroke. Your doctor might also recommend surgery. You can also help lower your risk by having a healthy lifestyle. This includes not smoking, not drinking too much, eating a healthy diet, and exercising. It is also important to control other health problems, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.
NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Symptoms
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Stroke Risk Factors and Symptoms
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
- Stroke Symptoms (American Stroke Association)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Carotid Ultrasound Imaging (American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) -- Head
(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Prevention and Risk Factors
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Carotid Endarterectomy
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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What Is a Stent?
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Treatments and Therapies
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Blood Thinners: MedlinePlus Health Topic
(National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
- Stroke (Society of Interventional Radiology)
Related Issues
- Life after Stroke (American Stroke Association)
- Mini-Stroke vs. Regular Stroke: What's the Difference? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Videos and Tutorials
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Transient Ischemic Attack
(American Heart Association)
Statistics and Research
- Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics (American Heart Association)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Ischemic Attack, Transient
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Number of Patients with Ischemic Stroke did not Decline in a...
- Article: Cost-Effectiveness of Using LDL-Direct Versus Lipid-Panel as Part of the Inpatient...
- Article: Infarct Recurrence in Intracranial Atherosclerosis: Results from the MyRIAD Study.
- Transient Ischemic Attack -- see more articles
Find an Expert
Patient Handouts
- Transient ischemic attack (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish