Mild stroke: medication, symptoms, causes etc. • hello healthy

Definition

What is a mild stroke (Transient Ischemic Attack)?

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) or better known as a mild stroke is a temporary disturbance of brain function caused by obstruction of blood flow leading to parts of the brain.

Minor stroke only lasts in less than 24 hours, or even only occurs in a few minutes, so it does not cause permanent brain damage.

This condition causes the nervous system of the brain to not get enough blood and oxygen for some time, causing disturbances in the senses, cognitive abilities of the brain, and motor system.

The symptoms of a TIA are similar to those of a stroke in general, which can cause weakness or numbness on one side of the body, especially on the face, arms and legs.

Even though the symptoms of TIA are short-lived and can go away on their own, the condition still cannot be ignored. The reason is, people who have a mild stroke have a high risk of having an actual stroke.

How common are minor strokes?

A mild stroke can occur to anyone, especially people who have or experience risk factors for this disease.

Several factors cannot be avoided or cured, such as men who have a higher chance of having a mild stroke than women.

Likewise with increasing age, the condition of blockage of arteries in the brain is more common at the age of 55 years and over.

However, estimating the number of sufferers of TIA is difficult to obtain because this disease has symptoms similar to several other diseases, so that people often do not realize that they are having a minor stroke.

However, statistical data from the American Heart Association noted that from stroke sufferers in general, 15 percent of them had a mild stroke first.

Seven to 40 percent of patients with ischemic strokes have experienced the disease before. Nearly 30 percent of people with TIA will experience actual stroke symptoms in less than a year

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of a TIA?

This disease has symptoms that are identical to those of stroke in general, which often appear quickly and suddenly.

One of the most distinguishing characteristics is that the symptoms of TIA only appear for a few moments and will go away on their own.

In most cases symptoms only last less than ten minutes and disappear in less than 24 hours.

The actual symptoms shown vary depending on the part of the brain that is affected by the blockage of blood flow.

However, in general, TIAs affect the parts of the brain that control the motor system, thinking ability, and sense of sight.

The following is a list of the most common mild stroke symptoms:

Dizziness and sudden loss of balance
Experiencing muscle weakness on one side of the body, especially on the face, arms and legs
Experiencing paralysis or numbness on one side of the body, especially on the face, arms, or legs
Confusion or difficulty understanding what others say
Experiencing visual disturbances such as nearsightedness, double vision, or blindness in one or both eyes
Severe headache with no known exact cause
Difficulty speaking, resulting in unclear articulation
Difficulty regulating the coordination of the body movement system
Difficulty walking and moving
Difficulty swallowing food

When should I see a doctor?

Symptoms of a mild stroke only last a short time and do not cause serious health consequences, but they should not be ignored.

This symptom can be a sign or a serious warning of an actual stroke that will occur for some time to come. The risk of developing a stroke can actually occur in less than 48 hours.

In the latest findings from the American Academy of Neurology, as many as 10 percent of TIA sufferers have a stroke within 90 days.

Therefore, you still need to perform first aid and see a doctor even if the symptoms of a mild stroke have subsided. Immediately see a doctor both when symptoms persist and after symptoms disappear.

By getting medical treatment, you can prevent a stroke that can cause permanent brain tissue damage.

The sooner the TIA is handled, the smaller the risk of developing this disease into a stroke will actually be.

Cause

What causes minor strokes?

Lack of blood supply to the brain can occur in a variety of conditions. In Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), a lack of blood supply results from blockage of blood flow.

Blockage can be caused by a blood clot or clot forming in a blood vessel, namely a thrombus, or originating from another organ, an embolus.

Carotid artery blockage

The main cause of a mild stroke is a blood clot that occurs in the carotid arteries.

These blood vessels are in charge of carrying blood from the heart to the part of the brain that has branches into smaller arteries. A mild stroke can occur in one of these small arteries so that part of the brain lacks blood supply that carries oxygen.

Atherosclerosis

This condition is described by the narrowing that occurs in the arteries so that it blocks blood flow to the brain.

The narrowing is caused by the accumulation of fatty substances that have accumulated around the arteries and over time they become hardened and thickened.

As a result, blood cannot flow smoothly to the brain so that the blood supply to the brain is reduced.

Blood clots

TIA can also occur when blood gets trapped in a brain blood vessel due to a blood clot or clot.

These blood clots often originate in the heart or the carotid arteries, blocking blood to the brain so that the brain cannot get oxygen from the blood. An unstable heart rhythm or arrhythmia can be the cause.

In addition, embolism originating from other organs in the body can also block blood flow to the brain, causing minor strokes.

Risk factors

What increases the risk of having a TIA attack?

There are various risk factors that make you more likely to have a mild stroke, namely:

Medical history in the family: You have a higher risk if a family member has had this condition.
Age: People over 55 years of age are more prone to experience TIA attacks.
Gender: Men are more prone to this condition than women, but more than half of all deaths are women.
Race: people of black descent are more likely to experience TIA

However, there are several risk factors that you can control:

Hypertension or high blood pressure: is the biggest risk factor for mild stroke.
Heart disease: people with cardiovascular disease such as heart attack or arrhythmias are particularly at risk of developing a TIA.
Blood cholesterol levels: if the cholesterol level in the blood is high, it will be more likely to develop a TIA
Carotid artery diseases (CVD) and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): disorders that cause cut off of blood flow to the arteries.
Diabetes: high blood sugar (glucose) levels increase the chance of blockage of blood flow
Obesity: is a condition of being overweight that can lead to minor stroke diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.
High homocysteine concentration: Homocysteine is an amino acid that comes from meat. High levels of homocysteine in the blood can make the arteries thicken and leave scars making them more prone to result in blockages.
Smoking habit: the content of cigarettes can thicken the blood concentration so that it triggers blood clots
Excessive consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs

Diagnosis & Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is a TIA diagnosed?

In diagnosing a stroke, the doctor will check your medical history and the diseases you have or are currently suffering from that may be a trigger for a stroke. Such as hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol imbalance.

After the doctor can confirm that you have had a minor stroke, he will ask you to undergo a series of physical and laboratory examinations to find out the cause of the stroke.

The following are some of the tests that need to be done to diagnose the exact cause of mild stroke symptoms:

Taking images of the brain via CT scan and MRI
Get a clear view of the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain through a carotid ultrasound
Check and monitor heart rate rhythm through an electrocardiogram to find the source of blood clots or embolism that is causing blockages in the arteries of the brain

How to treat minor strokes?

Treatment of this disease depends on the condition causing the TIA, how severe the symptoms are, and the part of the brain affected by the attack.

However, doctors generally will provide the most appropriate treatment to prevent a stroke. TIA treatment will reduce the risk of blockage of blood flow caused by a blood clot or clot.

Antiplatelet

Antiplatelets are blood thinners. One type of antiplatelet drug that is often used to prevent blood clots due to cardiovascular problems is aspirin. This drug reduces the risk of stroke by 22 percent.

The usual dosage given by doctors is 75 mg to 1300 mg. This medicine is usually given after an attack or during mild stroke treatment.

Aspirin will work more effectively in preventing blood clots that cause stroke when used in combination with dipyridamole.

Anticoagulants

Anticoagulants are drugs that can prevent stroke caused by heart rate disturbances or atrial fibrillation.

In a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, giving oral anticoagulants such as warfarin can provide more effective recovery for people with TIA caused by atrial fibrillation.

One type of anticoagulant that is usually given is warfarin.

The use of this drug needs to be done under the supervision of a doctor. If this drug is consumed in excess, it can cause side effects that turn around causing a stroke itself.

Carotid Endarterectomy

Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure performed to treat patients who have had a minor stroke due to blockages in the carotid arteries. Usually this operation will be done when the drugs can no longer prevent the blood clots that cause the blockage.

However, this procedure does not necessarily prevent permanent blockage. There is still a possibility that blood flow to the brain will be blocked again if there is an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Treatment for minor stroke triggers

Doctors usually will also give other medicines if it is known that you also have a disease that is at risk of causing a TIA.

For example, for high blood pressure or hypertension, the doctor will give you an ACE inhibitor that works to lower blood pressure and keep it stable.

However, to ensure recovery from the disease that triggers TIA, the treatment must also be accompanied by efforts to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Prevention

What are the lifestyle changes that can be made to prevent minor strokes?

The best way to prevent minor strokes is to avoid various controllable risk factors.

If you are already experiencing one or several risk factors, both controllable and uncontrollable, you can still prevent it by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The goal is to control and cure the disease that triggers the TIA.

The following are some healthy lifestyle efforts that you can implement to prevent minor strokes:

1. Running a healthy diet

Irregular eating patterns and consumption of unhealthy foods can increase your chances of contracting diseases that are at risk of causing TIA, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cholesterol.

It is recommended that you increase the portion for types of foods that contain lots of fiber such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Try to reduce your consumption of foods high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt.

2. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise can reduce the risk of a minor stroke. Not only is it beneficial for body fitness, exercise also has an important role in maintaining ideal body weight, blood pressure stability and cholesterol levels in the body.

Ideally everyone needs 150 minutes of physical exercise a week. You can spend a little time walking, jogging or swimming every day or doing intense exercise for 2-3 days a week.

3. Reduce alcohol consumption

Excess alcohol consumption can lead to increased blood pressure as well as cardiovascular diseases such as irregular heartbeats (atrial fibrillation). This condition can increase the potential for a minor stroke. Try to regulate your alcohol consumption by consuming no more than 140 ml per week.

4. Quit smoking

Quitting smoking is one way to reduce the risk of TIA. Hazardous substances contained in cigarettes can increase blood concentration, which can lead to atherosclerosis, which is a buildup of fatty substances that clog arteries.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.