Mini-Stroke: An Introduction
The term "mini-
stroke" refers to a
transient ischemic attack (
TIA for short). In a mini-stroke, there is a short-term interruption in blood flow to the brain. This causes temporary
stroke symptoms (often just for a few minutes), such as weakness or tingling in an arm or leg. Mini-strokes do not cause brain damage, but they are important warning signs that a person is at risk of having a stroke.
If you have a mini-stroke, you should seek medical care right away to prevent a full stroke. Of the approximately 50,000 Americans who have a mini-stroke each year, about one-third will have an acute stroke sometime in the future.
What Causes a Mini-Stroke?
Mini-stroke causes are the same as those associated with
ischemic strokes (
see Stroke Causes). The only difference involves timing. By definition, a stroke produces symptoms that last for at least 24 hours. A mini-stroke causes symptoms that improve after a shorter period of time (usually within 30 minutes).
A mini-stroke occurs when there is a temporary lack of oxygen- or nutrient-rich blood to a part of the brain. This lack of blood supply is the result of a blood vessel that becomes severely narrowed or blocked.
There are several ways in which a blood vessel in the brain may become severely narrowed or blocked; however, most mini-strokes result from an embolism or thrombosis. In an embolism, a blood clot or other tissue from another part of the body (such as the heart) moves through the blood into the neck or brain.
Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot (known as a thrombus) forms within a blood vessel of the brain or neck. Unlike an embolism, with thrombosis the blood clot does not break free -- it remains attached to the artery wall.
Another way that a blood vessel can become narrowed or blocked involves stenosis. Stenosis, a severe narrowing of an artery, can affect arteries in or leading to the brain. In most cases, stenosis is the result of a
plaque buildup on artery walls.
Risk factors are conditions or behaviors that increase your chances of getting a certain disease. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of having a mini-
stroke. That's because risk factors tend to "gang up" and worsen each other's effects. Also, the higher your level of each risk factor, the greater your risk of having a mini-stroke. Some mini-
stroke risk factors can be treated or controlled and some cannot.
Mini-stroke risk factors that you cannot change include:
- Age (risk of a mini-stroke tends to increase with age)
- Being male
- Being African American
- Having a family history of mini-stroke
- Having had a mini-stroke or heart attack.
Some of the most important treatable or controllable risk factors for mini-stroke are:
For a person having a mini-stroke, the symptoms will vary depending on which part of the brain is affected. Examples of specific mini-
stroke symptoms can include:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, hand, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion
- Trouble speaking or understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes (such as double vision, blurred vision, or blindness)
- Sudden trouble walking
- Sudden dizziness or lightheadedness
- Sudden loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
- Vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Spinning sensation (vertigo)
- Sudden collapse
- Seizures (in a small number of cases).
If you suspect that you or someone you know is experiencing possible
symptoms of a mini-stroke, do not wait for the symptoms to worsen or improve. Call 911 immediately. It is impossible for you to know whether these are mini-stroke symptoms or something more serious (e.g., stroke symptoms).
As part of diagnosing a mini-
stroke, the healthcare provider will usually ask a number of questions (including questions about the patient's medical history and symptoms) and perform a physical exam. If the healthcare provider believes that a person has had a mini-stroke, he or she may order additional tests to look for possible causes of a mini-stroke or to rule out other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those seen with a mini-stroke.
These tests may include:
- Blood tests (such as tests looking for high cholesterol or diabetes)
- Computed tomography scan (CAT scan or CT scan)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Carotid Doppler ultrasound
- Carotid arteriography
- Cerebral angiography (also known as a cerebral angiogram, cerebral arteriogram, or digital subtraction angiography)
- Magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) or functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
- Transcranial Doppler
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Echocardiogram
- Lumbar puncture
- Electroencephalography (EEG).
(Click TIA Diagnosis for more information about the steps involved in diagnosing a mini-stroke.)
Treatment for a Mini-Stroke
Research has shown that people who get treatment for a mini-stroke can significantly decrease their chances for a stroke.
Treatment for a mini-stroke may involve the following:
A person can lower his or her chances of having a mini-
stroke by understanding the risk factors for it, and then using that knowledge to make good decisions to control mini-
stroke risk factors.
Why is mini-
stroke prevention important? Because one-third of people who have a mini-stroke will go on to have a stroke within five years, and effective treatment of mini-stroke risk factors can significantly reduce this risk.
The steps for effective mini-stroke prevention usually involve:
- Knowing your mini-stroke risk factors
- Monitoring your health and making lifestyle changes
- Possibly taking medication or having a procedure
- Knowing signs of a mini-stroke or stroke (see Stroke Symptoms).
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