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TREATMENTS FOR STROKE

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or reduced, often by a blood clot. After a short time, blood flows again and the symptoms go away. With a stroke, the blood flow stays blocked, and the brain has permanent damage. Some people call a TIA a mini-stroke, because the symptoms are those of a stroke but don’t last long.

A TIA is a warning: it means you are likely to have a stroke in the future. If you think you are having a TIA, call or other emergency services right away. Early treatment can help prevent a stroke. If you think you have had a TIA but your symptoms have gone away, you still need to call your physician right away.

Symptoms of TIA

It can be difficult to identify that you’ve had a TIA, but a few symptoms may indicate a ministroke. The symptoms may be fleeting.

The most common symptoms of a TIA are:

• vision changes

• dysphasia (trouble speaking)

• confusion

• balance issues

• tingling

• an altered level of consciousness

• dizziness

• passing out

• an abnormal sense of taste

• an abnormal sense of smell

• weakness or numbness on just one side of the body or face, determined by the location of the blood clot in the brain

Dysphasia

People with a TIA physician temporarily find themselves unable to speak. After a TIA, people may tell their phy sicianthat they had difficulty recalling words during the event. Other speech problems may include trouble saying a word or trouble understanding words.

This condition is called dysphasia. In fact, dysphasia is sometimes the only symptom of a ministroke. Trouble speaking indicates that the blockage or blood clot that caused the ministroke occurred in the dominant brain hemisphere.

Temporary blindness in one eye

Sometimes, a TIA manifests as a particular visual disturbance known as transient monocular blindness (TMB). In TMB, a person’s vision in one eye becomes suddenly dimmed or obscured. The world turns gray or objects look blurry. This may last for seconds or minutes. Exposure to bright light can aggravate TMB. You may not be able to read words on white pages.

Risk factors for stroke

High blood pressure

High blood pressure can damage the inner walls of the arteries. This creates plaque that can rupture and lead to blood clots in these arteries. These abnormalities can lead to a ministroke or stroke. If your physician has diagnosed you with high blood pressure, it’s important to keep track of your blood pressure on a routine basis. You should invest in a home blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure.

Sometimes, people have what’s called “white coat hypertension.” This means that your blood pressure can be higher than usual in your physician’s office due to anxiety about having your blood pressure checked. Keeping track of your blood pressure at home can give your physician a more accurate assessment of your typical blood pressure. This information helps them adjust your blood pressure treatments more effectively.

If you have an at-home machine, you should check your blood pressure immediately if you experience any of the following:

• vertigo

• dizziness

• lack of coordination

• gait disturbance

If you don’t have a way to check your blood pressure at home, you should call your physician immediately or go to a local urgent care center or emergency room.

Other risk factors

Other risk factors for TIA and stroke include:

• high cholesterol

• diabetes

• obesity

• atrial fibrillation

According to one study, men are more likely than women to experience TIAs, older people are also more at risk than younger people.

Diagnosis

A TIA doesn’t lead to permanent brain damage, but you still need an urgent clinical examination if you have symptoms of a TIA. That’s because the symptoms are identical to the symptoms of a stroke, and it isn’t possible for you to tell whether they are related to a TIA or a stroke. The distinction requires an evaluation.

TIA symptoms are temporary and don’t cause permanent damage to brain tissue. Stroke symptoms are permanent and do result in permanent damage to brain tissue. However, stroke symptoms may improve with time. Having a TIA puts you at risk of a stroke, because TIAs and strokes have the same cause.

The only way to tell the difference between a TIA and a stroke is by having a physician look at an image of your brain with either a CT scan or an MRI.

If you’ve had a stroke, it’s likely that it won’t show up on a CT scan of your brain for 24 to 48 hours. An MRI usually shows a stroke sooner. In evaluating the cause of the TIA or stroke, you’ll need an ultrasound to see if there’s significant blockage or plaque in your carotid arteries. You’ll also need an echocardiogram to look for blood clots in your heart. Your physician may also take an ECG and chest X-ray.

Treatement

Several treatment options are available. TIAs don’t cause lasting brain tissue damage or disabilities, but they can be an early warning sign, or precursor, for a stroke. Treatment for TIAs focuses on starting or adjusting treatments that improve blood flow to the brain. It also requires identifying abnormalities that your physician can fix to reduce your risk of future TIAs or strokes.

Minimally invasive carotid intervention

This is a surgical procedure that involves accessing the carotid arteries with a catheter. The catheter is inserted through the femoral artery in your groin. The physician uses a balloon-like device to open up clogged arteries. They will place a stent or small wire tube inside the artery at the point of narrowing to improve blood flow to the brain.

An operation

You may need an operation to prevent future strokes. If you have a severe narrowing of the carotid artery in your neck and aren’t a candidate for a carotid angioplasty and stenting, your physician may recommend a an operation called a carotid endarterectomy. In the procedure, your physician clears the carotid arteries of fatty deposits and plaques. This can reduce the risk of another TIA or a stroke.

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes may be necessary to reduce your risk of future TIAs or strokes. Treatments and other clinical interventions may not be enough. These lifestyle changes include:

• exercising

• losing weight

• reducing your sodium intake

• eating more fruits and vegetables

• reducing your intake of fried or sugary foods

• getting enough sleep

• reducing stress

• improving your control of other clinical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol

Prevention

TIAs and other types of strokes are sometimes unavoidable, but you can take precautions to help prevent TIAs. Follow these TIA and stroke prevention tips.

• Don’t smoke.

• Avoid secondhand smoke.

• Eat a healthy diet with more fruits and vegetables.

• Maintain a healthy weight.

• Exercise regularly.

• Limit your nicotine and spirit intake.

• Don’t use illicit substances

• Control your diabetes.

• Reduce your sodium intake.

• Limit your cholesterol and fat intake, especially saturated and trans fats.

• Make sure your blood pressure is under good control.

• Reduce stress.