Derek Burnett
Derek Burnett is a Contributing Writer at Bottom Line Personal, where he writes frequently on health and wellness. He is also a contributing editor with Reader’s Digest magazine.
“Mini-stroke” is one of those terms that appears to make intuitive sense, so we throw them around as if we know exactly what they mean. But do we? A mini-stroke is a small stroke, right? Or is it a mild stroke? Or maybe a stroke that’s short in duration? In this article, we’ll learn not only what a mini-stroke really is, but what to do if you have one, and what the repercussions of mini-strokes are.
To understand what causes a mini-stroke, it’s important first to have some understanding of what happens when you have a full-blown stroke. A stroke consists of damage to the brain caused by some kind of problem with an artery either in the brain or feeding the brain. There are two main types of stroke. In an ischemic stroke, a blot clot causes a blockage to the brain. The clot may have formed in an artery connected directly to the brain, or it could have formed somewhere else in the body and then traveled to an artery supplying the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke, on the other hand, is caused not by a blood clot but by the rupture of a blood vessel in or around the brain. Regardless of whether the stroke is ischemic or hemorrhagic, the result is that part of the brain is deprived of blood’s crucial oxygen and nutrients. In the case of an ischemic stroke, blood is blocked from entering part of the brain. In the case of a hemorrhagic stroke, pooling blood masses against the brain tissue, causing damage.
When brain cells are deprived of oxygen, they quickly begin to die. The longer the stroke lasts or goes untreated, the higher the probability of permanent damage, which can include paralysis and severe cognitive impairments.
Stroke patients may experience a wide range of symptoms. The classic stroke signs are loss of muscle control, speech difficulties, and drooping of one side of the face. Other signs include sudden vision problems, vertigo or balance issues, numbness, confusion, nausea with vomiting, and sudden unexplained severe headache.
The medical term for a mini-stroke is a transient ischemic attack, or TIA. As the name implies, a TIA is a stroke event of the ischemic type, meaning it involves a blockage caused by a blood clot. The “transient” part of the name refers to the fact that the stroke’s signs and symptoms appear only temporarily. So, in a TIA, a blockage occurs, depriving the brain of blood for a short time, and then disappears, after which the signs of stroke vanish and the brain tissue recovers, leaving no lasting damage.
The acute period of a mini-stroke may be as short as several minutes or as long as a few hours. The symptoms, however, may last up to a day afterward. Duration of symptoms beyond 24 hours is considered a full-blown stroke, making brain-tissue death highly likely.
Interestingly, sometimes brain tissue death can occur in what appears to be a TIA, too. When that happens, the damage takes place in what’s known as a “silent” brain region where the cell death produces no visible symptoms. When it is confirmed that that’s what has happened, the event is reclassified as a full-blown stroke even though in all other respects it bears the features of a TIA.
Despite its short duration and lack of permanent damage, a mini-stroke is not something to take lightly. It should be considered just as dangerous as a full-blown stroke. Unfortunately, people unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms of stroke, or with the characteristics of mini-strokes, may write off the TIA as some passing episode of little importance, perhaps tied to indigestion, muscle soreness, fatigue, or other minor complaints.
The great danger in TIAs is not so much related to what has happened but what may happen next. A TIA is a strong warning sign that a full-blown stroke may be imminent. In fact, about 20% of patients experiencing TIAs go on to have full strokes within three months, and the risk is highest during the first week after a TIA.
If you or a loved one have a mini-stroke, treat it just as seriously as you would a full-blown stroke. That means calling 911 to get to a hospital as quickly as possible. There, physicians will not only attempt to confirm that a TIA has occurred, but, using MRI technology, will attempt to find the cause of the event. If they determine that you are at high risk of an impending stroke, you will be hospitalized while doctors administer medication…and sometimes surgery…to prevent a full-blown stroke.
If you’ve had a mini-stroke, on the same day you arrive at the hospital doctors will most likely put you on medication to reduce the risk of more blood clots forming. They usually also put patients on blood-pressure-lowering drugs as well as medication to lower cholesterol.
Some patients have TIAs after years of knowing they were at high risk and after years of efforts to stave off stroke through diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. But if a TIA catches you by surprise, your doctors will likely impress upon you the importance of making significant changes in your life, including stopping smoking, eating the Mediterranean or DASH diet, correcting any sleep issues, and getting plenty of exercise.
Such changes are certainly worthwhile. Although having a mini-stroke does increase your chances of subsequently having a full-blown stroke, such a fate is not inevitable. Facing your increased risk head-on by addressing your modifiable risk factors may help prevent another stroke and will almost certainly make you feel healthier and happier.
