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Transient ischaemic attack

A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) is a temporary period of disturbance of body function, such as loss of vision or balance, lasting for less than 24 hours. It results from a temporary reduction in blood and oxygen supply to part of the brain.

Normal blood supply to the brain can be obstructed by fatty deposits carried in the bloodstream (an embolus) or by clotting of blood in an artery.  It is often called a 'mini-stroke'. A TIA becomes a full stroke if it lasts longer than 24 hours.

Around 30,000 people a year in the UK experience a TIA – that is one person in every 2,000. Transient ischaemic attacks must always be taken seriously, as they are a clear warning that further TIAs, or even a life-threatening stroke, may occur soon. A second mini-stroke often causes more damage than the first. Without treatment, one in ten people who have had a TIA will have a full stroke within the next year. TIAs should therefore always be investigated, the cause found, and, where possible, treated. 

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Prevention
• Complications
• Treatment

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