Prevent a stroke with medication, healthier lifestyle

TIA (transient ischemic attack) is an episode of stroke-like symptoms that disappear without noticeable injury. People often think if they have not had a TIA, they won’t have a real stroke. Not true. A TIA precedes only one in eight strokes, according to researchers at the University of Western Ontario.

Dr, Daniel Hackman, who led the study, says individuals should assess their risk for a future stroke by having their risk factors checked, including smoking, diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure, and weight management.  A TIA is a warning sign that a major stroke may occur.  About 11 percent of those experiencing one have a stroke over the next three months, about 20 percent of these strokes are fatal and two-thirds are disabling.

Symptoms are the same as those for a major stroke: poor balance, slurred speech or  droopy face, one side of the body weak or numb, vision all or partially lost, and there may be a severe headache.  Anyone with any of these symptoms should go to the emergency room immediately.  The risk of a disabling stroke after a TIA can be reduced when risk factors are managed with medications to thin blood, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, exercise, and a diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but low in salt and saturated fat. These steps are advisable for everyone.

People who never had a warning sign were more likely to have a major stroke than those who did. They were more likely to die at the hospital, have a heart attack while in the hospital, and less likely to go home instead of to a nursing home.