A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is caused by a temporary cut in blood supply to the brain, due to the partial blockage of an artery by a blood clot or debris. A TIA has the same symptoms as a stroke, but they are temporary as the clot naturally dissolves or is dislodged from the blockage. A TIA does not usually cause long-term brain damage.
A person who has had a TIA, or โmini-strokeโ, is at greater risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Early identification of symptoms and a diagnosis from your doctor greatly reduces the chances of a major stroke.
TIA is an early warning for stroke
A stroke interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. A blood clot could block a blood vessel or (more rarely) a blood vessel might break. Brain cells in the immediate area are starved of oxygen and die. Without prompt medical treatment, the surrounding brain cells may also die.
A TIA has identical symptoms to a stroke, but these last for less than 24 hours and are followed by a full recovery. A TIA is a powerful warning that an area of the brain is being deprived of blood and that a stroke may follow in the next few hours, days, weeks or months. Urgent medical attention is needed.
โฅTrishโฅ