Transient Ischemic Attack

What is a Transient Ischemic Attack?

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is similar to a stroke but does not cause permanent brain damage. TIAs often last less than an hour, though they can last up to 24 hours. About one in three people who have a TIA will experience a future stroke.

What Are the Symptoms of a Transient Ischemic Attack?

The most common symptoms include the sudden onset of:

Weakness or numbness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Difficulty seeing, talking, or understanding
Difficulty with balance or walking
Dizziness or loss of coordination

If you think you are having a TIA, get medical help right away. Recognizing symptoms of a TIA and getting immediate treatment will reduce the risk for a major stroke.

What Causes a Transient Ischemic Attack?

TIAs happen when blood can’t reach a part of the brain for a short period of time. Because different parts of the brain do different things, TIA symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected.

UR Medicine's Treatments for Transient Ischemic Attack

Depending on the timing of your event, your healthcare provider may refer you to an Emergency Department or to the Ambulatory UR Medicine Rapid Access TIA clinic and Neurovascular Laboratory.

Patients referred to the TIA clinic will be evaluated and treated by our expert stroke neurologists. Our experts will also tell you about stroke risk factors and stroke prevention.

Our comprehensive evaluation includes:

Neurological consult
Neurosurgical consult (if needed)
Onsite MRI and MRA imaging
Onsite ultrasounds
Immediate test results and treatment options
TIA and stroke education
Follow-up care, as needed

Findings from the evaluation will also be communicated to the referring physician.

What Sets Us Apart?

UR Medicine's Comprehensive Stroke Center offers world-class treatment and prevention of stroke, including its creation of the Rochester metropolitan area and surrounding region's only state-of-the art Mobile Stroke Unit, and dedicated Neuromedicine Intensive Care Unit.

UR Medicine offers advanced stroke treatments that are not available at most hospitals.

Our nationally recognized, highly trained stroke and neurocritical care team provides comprehensive care for all types of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases (related to blood flow in the brain).

State-of-the-art neuroimaging capabilities and immediate access to all subspecialists offer patients the most sophisticated medical and surgical treatments necessary for the best outcomes.