What is a transient ischemic attack (TIA), or ministroke, and why is it so dangerous?
I like to think of the letters in TIA as standing for “take immediate action!” A ministroke occurs when stroke symptoms last less than 24 hours and resolve completely thereafter. These ministrokes are dangerous because 5% of people who have a TIA will have a full stroke within 48 hours of the ministroke. Another 11% will go on to have a stroke within 90 days. And when the follow-up stroke occurs, it’s potentially more severe and certainly more devastating. So it’s important to call your doctor or 911 immediately if you have stroke symptoms. Q: How are TIAs treated? I strongly believe in admitting a patient to the hospital if he or she has experienced a TIA within the past 48 hours. The hospital admission is necessary in order to facilitate the potential administration of clot-buster drugs should the symptoms recur and to begin secondary stroke prevention strategies. Secondary stroke prevention strategies include: 1. Assessing the underlying risks for stroke — does the patient have an
