Image by Graphics RF on Vecteezy

• Share

PRINT

Q: My father’s right hand suddenly became weak. He couldn’t hold his coffee cup. It lasted about 5 minutes and then the strength came back. His doctor was worried about a ministroke. What does that mean?

A: A ministroke, what doctors call a transient ischemic attack or TIA, is a problem in the blood vessels of the brain that causes a temporary decrease in blood flow to a certain brain region.

To appreciate a TIA, it helps to understand each of the separate terms in its name. “Transient” refers to the fact that these episodes are most often very brief, lasting less than an hour. In fact, most TIAs are over within a few minutes.

The term “ischemic” specifies that the symptoms result from an obstruction in blood flow, and “attack” refers to an isolated event.

The chain of events that leads to a TIA is basically the same as for a stroke. A person who has a TIA has had ischemia but has “dodged the bullet” because there were no lasting symptoms. But the same underlying causes are still present and are very likely to cause a stroke in the near future.

TIA symptoms can vary widely depending on the part of the brain that is affected. To further complicate matters, other neurological disruptions — such as migraines, minor seizures and low blood sugar — can mimic TIA symptoms.

The distinguishing feature is that a TIA stems from decreased blood flow located in one particular blood vessel in the brain. Therefore, the effects are most likely to be localized to a specific brain function, such as speech or vision, or to cause isolated weakness in one limb or side of the body.

I am glad to hear your father contacted his doctor. These attacks can be tough to recognize because people often blame normal aging for symptoms like taking a sudden stumble while walking, trouble getting out the right words, or feeling dizzy. Because TIAs don’t last long and don’t always have an immediate lasting effect, it’s easy for people to shrug them off.

Since there are no permanent symptoms after a TIA, the goal is to prevent a stroke. Doctors immediately prescribe anti-clotting drugs. The choice of medications depends upon the underlying cause.

If the suspected cause is a significantly narrowed carotid artery, the person may have a procedure to correct the problem. This procedure — carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting — can help prevent future TIAs or strokes.

Taking steps to reduce TIA risk factors, including keeping blood pressure normal and lowering cholesterol levels, is also critical. Lifestyle habits (eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking) are a central part of any treatment plan.

© 2022 Harvard University. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.