With symptoms lasting for up to 24 hours, transient neurological attacks are a warning sign that cerebrovascular disease (disease of the brain's blood vessels) may exist. Also known as a mini-stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a focal (affecting one body part or system) type of transient neurological attack. Individuals who experience a TIA are at increased risk of having a stroke. Because TIAs can be caused by several factors, it is important to have an accurate diagnosis for proper treatment and prevention plans. The December 26, 2007, issue of JAMA includes an article about transient neurological attacks.
Sudden loss of vision
Double vision
Slurred or garbled speech
Trouble finding the right words in conversation
Weakness, paralysis, numbness, or tingling in an extremity (hand, arm, foot, leg) or in the face
Loss of consciousness
Sudden loss of balance or difficulty walking
SEE YOUR DOCTOR, CALL THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM, OR GO TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY IF YOU EXPERIENCE THESE SYMPTOMS.
Medical history and a physical examination are important parts of diagnosing transient neurological attacks. Further testing may include blood counts and chemistries, x-rays, computed tomography (CT scan), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Angiography (x-ray pictures taken after injection of dye) may be required to look at the brain's blood vessels. You may see a neurologist (a doctor with specialized education in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases) as part of your evaluation for a transient neurological attack.
Do not smoke.
Exercise daily.
Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Take high blood pressure medications as prescribed.
Keep your cholesterol and other blood lipid levels in the healthy range.
Manage diabetes and keep blood sugar under good control.
Medications, including those that make blood platelets less likely to form clots, may be prescribed for stroke prevention.
Aspirin may be recommended for preventing strokes and heart attacks.
Surgical procedures, such as carotid endarterectomy (surgical removal of a blockage in the carotid artery in the neck), may be recommended for some individuals to prevent strokes.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokehttp://www.ninds.nih.gov
National Stroke Association 800/STROKES (787-6537)http://www.stroke.org
American Heart Association 800/242-8721 http://www.americanheart.org
To find this and previous JAMA Patient Pages, go to the Patient Page link on JAMA's Web site at http://www.jama.com. Many are available in English and Spanish. A Patient Page on hemorrhagic stroke was published in the October 20, 2004, issue.
Sources: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Stroke Association, American Heart Association, American Academy of Neurology
The JAMA Patient Page is a public service of JAMA. The information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most instances, but they are not a substitute for medical diagnosis. For specific information concerning your personal medical condition, JAMA suggests that you consult your physician. This page may be photocopied noncommercially by physicians and other health care professionals to share with patients. To purchase bulk reprints, call 203/259-8724.
TOPIC: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature
Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal
Instructions
Comments are moderated and will appear on the site at the discretion of the Journal of American Medical Association editors. Comments should not exceed 500 words of text and 10 references.
Do not submit personal medical questions or information that could identify a specific patient, questions about a particular case, or general inquiries to an author. Only content that has not been published, posted, or submitted elsewhere should be submitted. By submitting this Comment, you and any coauthors transfer copyright to the journal if your Comment is posted.
* = Required Field
Disclosure of Any Conflicts of Interest* Indicate all relevant conflicts of interest of each author below, including all relevant financial interests, activities, and relationships within the past 3 years including, but not limited to, employment, affiliation, grants or funding, consultancies, honoraria or payment, speakers’ bureaus, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, royalties, donation of medical equipment, or patents planned, pending, or issued. If all authors have none, check "No potential conflicts or relevant financial interests" in the box below. Please also indicate any funding received in support of this work. The information will be posted with your response.
Register and get free email Table of Contents alerts, saved searches, PowerPoint downloads, CME quizzes, and more
Subscribe for full-text access to content from 1998 forward and a host of useful features
Activate your current subscription (AMA members and current subscribers)
Some tools below are only available to our subscribers or users with an online account.
Download citation file:
Customize your page view by dragging & repositioning the boxes below.
and access these and other features:
Register Now
Enter your username and email address. We'll send you a reminder to the email address on record.
Athens and Shibboleth are access management services that provide single sign-on to protected resources. They replace the multiple user names and passwords necessary to access subscription-based content with a single user name and password that can be entered once per session. It operates independently of a user's location or IP address. If your institution uses Athens or Shibboleth authentication, please contact your site administrator to receive your user name and password.