What are transient ischemic attacks (TIA’s)?
Transient means that the effects are temporary and ischemic refers to the lack of proper blood flow. TIA’s occur when blood flow to part of the brain is temporarily blocked or diminished. TIA’s symptoms last for no more than 24-hours and usually only for a few minutes. Sometimes individuals may be slightly aware and not even aware that something is wrong because these symptoms may occur when sleeping. Often patients dismiss these symptoms since they go away, never mentioning these symptoms to their physician. Who is at risk for TIA’s? People who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, known vascular disease, diabetes, smoking, and a family history of strokes are at higher risk of having a TIA. The more risk factors a person has the greater the chances of having a TIA. If you have a TIA, a major stroke within 1-2 years is very likely. There are three basic types of strokes: hemorrhagic, embolic, and thrombotic. Hemorrhagic strokes are when a blood vessel bursts in the brain. Embolic
