Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
Key points
- A transient ischemic attack is a "mini-stroke" caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function.
- A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by an interruption of blood flow to brain cells.
- Note: Symptoms begin suddenly, last only a short time (from a few minutes to 24 hours) and disappear completely.
- A detailed and complete history is vital to the diagnosis, because the specific deficits demonstrated help the physician determine which area of the brain was affected.
Alternative names
Mini stroke; TIA; Little stroke
Definition
A transient ischemic attack is a "mini-stroke" caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function. (It lasts less than 24 hours, usually less than one hour) .
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by an interruption of blood flow to brain cells. If the symptoms resolve completely in under 24 hours, this is called a TIA or "mini stroke." If the symptoms do not resolve, the event is called a Stroke .
A brief interruption to the blood flow can cause a decrease in brain function (neurologic deficit). Symptoms vary with the area of the brain affected and may include changes in vision, speech or comprehension, vertigo, decreased movement or sensation in a part of the body, or changes in the level of consciousness.
If the blood flow is decreased for a sufficient period, brain cells in the area die (infarct), causing permanent damage to that area of the brain or even death.
The loss of blood circulation to the brain can be caused by the following:
- narrowing of a blood vessel
- blood clotting within an artery of the brain
- blood clot traveling to the brain from somewhere else in the body (e.g., heart)
- a blood disease, cancer, and others
- inflammation of blood vessels
- injury to blood vessels
In a TIA, the blood supply is only temporarily blocked. For example, a blood clot may dissolve and allow blood to flow normally again.
Atherosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries") is a condition where fatty deposits occur on the inner lining of the arteries, which dramatically increases the risk for both TIAs and Stroke . Atherosclerotic plaque is formed when damage occurs to the lining of an artery. Platelets clump around the area of injury as a normal part of the clotting and healing process.
Cholesterol and other fats also collect at this site, forming a mass within the lining of the artery. A clot (thrombus) may form at the site of the plaque, triggered by irregular blood flow in this location, and the thrombus may then block blood vessels in the brain.
Pieces of plaque or clots can also break off and travel through the bloodstream from distant locations, forming an embolus that can block the small arteries, causing TIAs.
About one-third of the people diagnosed with TIA will later have a . And about 80-90% of people who have a caused by atherosclerosis had TIA episodes before their stroke. Approximately one-third of the people who have a TIA will have another TIA, while one-third will have only one TIA. The age of onset varies, but incidence rises dramatically after age 50. TIA is more common among men and black people.
Frequently asked questions
What is transient ischemic attack (TIA)?
A transient ischemic attack is a "mini-stroke" caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function. (It lasts less than 24 hours, usually less than one hour) .
What are the risk factors for transient ischemic attack (TIA)?
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is caused by an interruption of blood flow to brain cells. If the symptoms resolve completely in under 24 hours, this is called a TIA or "mini stroke." If the symptoms do not resolve, the event is called a Stroke . A brief interruption to the blood flow can cause a decrease in brain function (neurologic deficit). Symptoms vary with the area of the brain affected and may include changes in vision, speech or comprehension, vertigo, decreased movement or sensation in a part of the body, or changes in the level of consciousness.
What are the symptoms of transient ischemic attack (TIA)?
Symptoms of TIA are the same as those that occur in stroke and include the sudden development of:
- numbness, tingling, changes in sensation
- weakness, heavy feeling of extremities
- speech difficulty (garbled speech; slurred speech)
- vision changes o loss of vision in one eye o decreased vision o double vision
- sensation that the person or the room is moving (vertigo)
- loss of balance
- lack of coordination
- gait changes, staggering
- falling (caused by weakness in the legs) Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
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