Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is a stroke that is quickly resolved before causing permanent damage. It occurs when a piece of clotted blood or a cholesterol fragment breaks off from a distant site and lodges temporarily in a brain artery, causing the symptoms of a stroke, or a vessel to temporarily close down and then reopen. Yet, instead of causing permanent brain injury, the piece somehow dissolves or scatters, and the symptoms are resolved completely within 24 hours.

TIA prevention and management is the same as it is with stroke. The signs are identical, and the same precautions can be followed. Fortunately, a TIA can be a helpful warning sign that a stronger stroke may be around the corner, and an affected person may seek medical attention early to try to prevent more permanent damage.