TIA: ignoring the signs

One major sign of a stroke is the occurrence of a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke. TIA occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked for a short time, temporarily restricting blood flow to the brain.

Symptoms of TIA are similar to those of stroke, but they tend to last for shorter periods. A person may experience sudden numbness of the face, arm or leg - particularly on one side of the body. They may also experience sudden confusion, have trouble speaking, problems with sight in one or both eyes and dizziness.

According to the US National Stroke Association, around 40% of people who experience a TIA will have a stroke.

However, a recent survey from the UK Stroke Association found that 47% of respondents who experienced TIA symptoms did not know what was happening to them, and 37% did not take any action because the symptoms they were experiencing “did not feel like a medical emergency.”

But why do we have this attitude toward stroke warning signs and symptoms? Could it be down to lack of education from health care professionals?

The challenge for health care professionals

In the Stroke Association survey, more than 50% of respondents said they had received little or no information about the link between TIA and stroke.

In addition, 16% of respondents said they felt they were not taken seriously when they described their symptoms to a health care professional, while 25% said their symptoms were not recognized as a TIA. More than 31% of respondents said they felt health care professionals are too quick to dismiss TIA as “just a funny turn.”

Such statistics pose the question, if health care professionals find it hard to spot these symptoms, what hope is there for the general public?

The Stroke Association say that TIA can be difficult to diagnose. The condition mimics many other conditions with similar symptoms, such as migraine, visual problems, cognitive impairment and epilepsy.

Furthermore, health care professionals frequently have to rely on what they are told by the patient, so they may not be getting enough information to accurately diagnose them.

“However,” the Stroke Association add, “our survey suggests that more could be done to ensure that all health and care staff can recognize TIA symptoms and understand the need for urgent action.”

Dr. Holmes agrees, telling Medical News Today: