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Step 1
o prevent the devastating effects of a full stroke, it's important to identify these warning strokes or TIA's so that treatment can be given. Warning strokes or TIA's usually present with symptoms that are similar to a stroke only they resolve over a period of twenty-four hours or less.
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Step 2
Such symptoms may include dizziness, difficulty speaking, numbness, weakness on one side of the body, double vision, or loss of vision. Although these symptoms can be associated with other medical problems, they should always be assumed to be a sign of stroke until proven otherwise. Anyone experiencing these symptoms needs immediate medical attention. The good news is that when warning strokes are treated promptly, up to eighty percent of full strokes can be prevented.
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Step 3
When these symptoms occur in older people, particularly those with risk factors for stroke, the suspicion of an impending stroke should be high and immediate action taken. Risk factors for stroke include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, prior heart attack, male sex, known peripheral artery disease, and prior history of stroke or TIA. Stroke can occur at any age, although it's more common in those who are over the age of fifty-five.
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Step 4
If a person has a warning stroke, how often do they go on to have a full stroke? Most studies show that a third of people with a TIA will go on to a full stroke. The major difference between a warning stroke and a full blown stroke is the lack of permanent brain injury with the TIA. People who have had a TIA recover full neurological function unless they go on to experience a stroke.
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Step 5
The bottom line? Learn to recognize the symptoms of a warning stroke or TIA so that you can take immediate action if they occur. It could save someone's life.
