WARNING OF STROKE
Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) are disturbances of brain function, usually lasting from two minutes to two hours, but sometimes for as long as 24 hours, which leave no trace. During a TIA, the victim may be paralyzed, unable to talk, or experience tingling or other unusual feelings on one side of the face or in one side of the body. There may also be dizziness, or partial loss of vision and hearing. One or more of these phenomena can occur repeatedly, or they may appear in different combinations from time-to-time, ranging from momentary dimming of vision to severe but temporary strokelike attacks.
Caused by temporary blockage of arteries supplying the brain, TIAs often result from blood clots carried there from elsewhere in the body. A failing heart or a damaged heart valve is the usual site of the clot formation, but other conditions (including atherosclerosis, diabetes, or early tumors) may provide the stimulus for clotting. For this reason, anyone who begins having TIAs needs to be examined by a physician to determine whether medical or surgical treatment is required for an underlying disease.
Even when no underlying cause is found, TIA victims can benefit from continuous anticoagulant drug treatment to slow the clotting process. This treatment should be carefully monitored and changed at intervals to match the patient’s varying needs. Regular follow-up visits to the doctor are therefore essential, even though one may feel perfectly well.
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