|
Transient ischaemic attacks and mild strokes
A guide for patients and carers
What causes a transient ischaemic attack?
Most transient ischaemic attacks are due to hardening of the arteries, which occurs in everyone to a greater or lesser degree as they get older.
Smoking, lack of exercise and eating the wrong foods can all cause more severe hardening of the arteries. People with high blood pressure and diabetes are at particular risk of transient ischaemic attacks.
Less often, transient ischaemic attacks are due to clots forming in the heart which are then carried in the blood stream and block a blood vessel in the brain.
Do transient ischaemic attacks run in families?Transient ischaemic attacks and strokes are quite a common problem and therefore it is not unusual just by chance for more than one person in a family to have one. Some families seem to have a greater tendency to suffer both heart attacks and strokes. Sometimes this is related to their genes causing them to have high fat (cholesterol) levels in their blood but it may also occur because members of a family may all eat similar things or smoke.
|
Page 5 of 12
Contents
- Introduction
- What is a transient ischaemic attack?
- What is a stroke?
- What are the symptoms of a transient ischaemic attack?
- What causes a transient ischaemic attack?
- What happens if you have a transient ischaemic attack?
- What tests will the doctors do?
- What are the risks of a future stroke?
- What can be done to reduce the risks?
- How will lifestyle be affected?
- Conclusion
- Other organisations that may be able to help
