New advances in ministroke care

People who experience a transient ischemic attack — also known as a TIA or ministroke — may not require immediate hospitalization, according to Harvard Health. Typically, patients who seek emergency medical attention after a TIA are admitted for a brief hospital stay for further testing and follow-up care. But new research suggests that TIA patients who receive additional care at specialized outpatient clinics fare just as well, without the hassle and expense of a hospital stay.

Instead of hospital admission, patients can be discharged to return home from the emergency room. Follow-up testing is usually scheduled at TIA clinics within days, and only the highest risk ministroke patients are admitted to the hospital. Risk is determined according to the ABCD2 scale, which takes age, blood pressure, clinical features, duration of symptoms, and whether the patient has diabetes into account.

As many as one in six ministroke patients will suffer a regular stroke within three months, so further testing is critical, whether it’s conducted in a TIA clinic or the hospital. Additional testing can help uncover the underlying cause of the ministroke and potentially prevent a stroke in the future.

Ministrokes arrive swiftly and symptoms usually depart almost as fast — within minutes to hours. The symptoms are similar to a stroke and include numbness or muscle weakness (usually on one side of the body), difficulty speaking or understanding speech, dizziness or loss of balance, and vision problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.