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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffTransient ischemic attacks usually last a few minutes. Most signs and symptoms disappear within an hour. The signs and symptoms of TIA resemble those found early in a stroke and may include:
- Sudden weakness, numbness or paralysis in your face, arm or leg, typically on one side of your body
- Slurred or garbled speech or difficulty understanding others
- Sudden blindness in one or both eyes or double vision
- Dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
You may have more than one TIA, and the recurrent signs and symptoms may be similar or different depending on which area of the brain is involved. If signs and symptoms last longer than 24 hours or cause lasting brain damage, it's considered a stroke.
When to see a doctor
Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect you've had a transient ischemic attack. Prompt evaluation and identification of potentially treatable conditions may help you prevent a stroke.
- Transient ischemic attack. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4781. Accessed Dec. 30, 2008.
- Wu CM, et al. Early risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2007;167:2417.
- Stroke risk factors. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4716. Accessed Dec. 30, 2008.
- Sacco RL, et al. Guidelines for prevention of stroke in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. Stroke. 2006;37:577.
- NINDS transient ischemic attack information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tia/tia.htm. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Lewandowski CA, et al. Transient ischemic attack: Definitions and clinical presentations. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2008;52:S7.
- Ischemic stroke. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch211/ch211b.html?qt=transient%20ischemic%20attack&alt=sh#sec16-ch211-ch211b-446. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Sudlow C. Dipyridamole with aspirin is better than aspirin alone in preventing vascular events after ischaemic stroke or TIA. British Medical Journal. 2007;334:901.
