Transient Ischemic Attacks - prelude to a full blown stroke

[susan42]

Originally Posted by ICN2U

yes talk to a doctor BEFORE you begin self medicating........

Id hate to think that if she were to have a hemorrhagic stroke....she made it worse by taking aspirin......

Only 20% of strokes are haemaorrhagic-rest are infarcts or blockages.
TIAs aren't caused by haemmorrhages.A haemorrhagic stroke would have shown on scans and there would have been lasting neurological symptoms.
Treatment for TIA

Need to treat risk factors
high BP
cholesterol down to below 3.5
Diabetes
Smoking
Carotid artery stenosis.

Start antiplatelet agents, ususally Aspirin 75mg.
Plavix only if allergic to aspirin.

TIAs are a medical emergency as they are stroke warning signs

[susan42]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Quit worrying about a hemmorhage and worry about a small clot that moved on. They can dissolve fairly quickly, so by the time she got the imaging, it was more than likely gone. This is why aspirin is rec'd as it helps keep clots under control.

They aren't looking for the blood clot when they do CT or MRI, they are checking for an area of brain that has "died" either due to a clot or haemorrhage. If an area of brain has died then you would still have symptoms (a stroke)
However I got the impression that this was a TIA, so you would always expect the scan to be normal.The key word is transient, so the blood flow to the bit of the brain is restored before it dies.

[Connecticut Pam]

Originally Posted by PassTheChocolate

A friend of mine just had her 3rd in 18 months. She has no insurance, which is a whole other topic. Her CAT scans and MRI's have come back normal and she can't afford to get the rest done. Sadly, the only way she was able to get anything done was the first time when she was hospitalized for 5 days. But does anyone know, or have experience with how this is treated? Without an actual hemorrhagic stroke, there doesn't seem to be any major damage aside from some memory loss. She's not getting a lot of consistent feedback, aside from taking aspirin every day.

Although aspirin is recommended for a lot of "heart related", "stroke related", incidences no one should EVER take it unless a doctor has specifically recommended it or prescribed it. I had surgery last year for an upper aortic aneurysm and take 325mg of Bayer every day. I also had valve replacement which is why the aspirin..pig valve. I do worry about my stomach with this high of a dose every day so I also take pepcid AC from time to time.

Most hospitals will run free clinics for screenings and I have seen in our local paper here that there have been stroke screenings. The clinics are usually free and they will, at that time, determine if you are in danger of or have been having TIA's or any other kind of stroke.

Your friend probably should speak with her primary care physician and then from there find a good Cardiologist/thoracic specialist. Insurance should cover the better part of this but it is truly essential that he/she follow through with further testing.

My aneurysm never would have been found if it had not been for the thoroughness of my Primary Care doctor. She heard something peculiar when she was listening to my heart and suggested a chest X-ray. Within a day after my chest x-ray, I was on my way to see a cardiologist for further testing. She saved my life for sure!

[susan42]

Originally Posted by Connecticut Pam

Although aspirin is recommended for a lot of "heart related", "stroke related", incidences no one should EVER take it unless a doctor has specifically recommended it or prescribed it. I had surgery last year for an upper aortic aneurysm and take 325mg of Bayer every day. I also had valve replacement which is why the aspirin..pig valve. I do worry about my stomach with this high of a dose every day so I also take pepcid AC from time to time.

Most hospitals will run free clinics for screenings and I have seen in our local paper here that there have been stroke screenings. The clinics are usually free and they will, at that time, determine if you are in danger of or have been having TIA's or any other kind of stroke.

Your friend probably should speak with her primary care physician and then from there find a good Cardiologist/thoracic specialist. Insurance should cover the better part of this but it is truly essential that he/she follow through with further testing.

My aneurysm never would have been found if it had not been for the thoroughness of my Primary Care doctor. She heard something peculiar when she was listening to my heart and suggested a chest X-ray. Within a day after my chest x-ray, I was on my way to see a cardiologist for further testing. She saved my life for sure!

It would be very unusual for aspirin to have any untoward effects at 75mg per day, unless someone has had previous gastric/duodenal ulcers. You would be surprised how many doctors take an aspirin a day from the age of 40 with no history of vascular disease. There is evidence to suggest that everyone who has more than one risk factor for vascular disease should be on aspirin.
It would be a neurologist you would need to see for stroke-not thoracic or cardiologist.
Anyone who has had a stroke or TIA should be on antiplatelet agents with or without stomach protection depending on if they have any history of ulcers or reflux disease.

Please-TIAs happen for a reason and those reasons are the same ones that can cause strokes.

Just for info I am a clinical lecturer practitioner in stroke and also stroke research nurse.