We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Mini Strokes?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 10,626
References
Share

Mini strokes are also called transient ischemic attacks (TIA). Don’t let the idea that these are called “mini” fool you into thinking they’re not dangerous. Roughly 30% of people who suffer a mini-stroke will later suffer a full stroke, and if you believe you’ve had one, you should get immediate medical care.

Symptoms of mini strokes include sudden loss of balance, weakness on one side of the body, sudden blindness and speech difficulties. In most cases when you suffer a stroke, these symptoms will persist. With these small strokes, symptoms may be gone in a few minutes or a few hours. They are caused by the blood flow to the brain being temporarily interrupted or significantly reduced.

Some things that may cause mini strokes include hardening or narrowing arteries that supply blood to the brain. Sometimes plaque buildup in the veins can temporarily affect flow or a blood clot moves from somewhere else to the brain, but it is small enough to break up quickly or only partially occludes blood supply.

There are a number of risk factors for mini strokes. These include if you have a family history of transient ischemic attacks, and if you have had a TIA before. People who smoke, who are overweight or who have heart disease or high blood pressure are also at risk. High cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and even certain types of blood disorder that cause high platelet level may make people more at risk. Men seem more prone to get these attacks than do women, and there are other conditions that can make people at greater risk for mini strokes.

Many conditions that can cause a TIA can be controlled through behavior modification and medication. For instance, one causal factor can be a sedentary lifestyle and this can be changed. Other potential risk factors are not changeable. People who have had heart surgery and had valves replaced with artificial ones may be more at risk than others, but at the least, they can change behavior in terms of living a healthy lifestyle to somewhat reduce additional risk factors.

People should see a doctor immediately if they suspect they are having a mini-stroke. There are several ways doctors can confirm diagnosis. People will have blood tests and may undergo a number of tests to identify cause. These tests can include echocardiograms, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans to look at the heart, the major arteries, and the brain.

When diagnosis is confirmed, doctors can help to prevent further TIAs through a combination of medication and other therapies. If an artery is reduced in size, surgery may be required to avoid formation of blood clots or reduced blood flow. Many people take anti-coagulants like warfarin or sometimes aspirin to reduce risk of additional blood clots. People will also be advised to eat a healthy diet, reduce sodium intake, cut fat intake, quit smoking if they smoke, and get exercise.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-mini-strokes.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.