According to a study of stroke patients published in the March 8, 2005 issue of the scientific journal Neurology, symptoms of an ischemic stroke can appear up to seven days before an attack, and prompt treatment is needed to prevent serious brain damage. of the American Academy of Neurology.
80 percent of strokes are ischemia caused by narrowing of large and small cerebral arteries and blood clots blocking the blood supply to the brain. They are often accompanied by a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a “warning stroke” or “mini-stroke” that has stroke-like symptoms, usually lasts less than five minutes, and does not cause brain damage.
The study examined 2416 people who had an ischemic stroke. In 549 patients, the TIA occurred before the ischemic stroke, and most occurred in the previous week: 17 percent occurred on the day of the stroke, 9 percent occurred the day before, and 43 percent occurred within seven days. before the stroke.
“We’ve known for some time that TIAs are often a precursor to major stroke,” said researcher Peter M. Rothwell, MD, FRCP, of the Department of Clinical Neurology at Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England. “What we haven’t been able to determine is how quickly patients should be evaluated after a TIA in order to receive the most effective preventive treatment. This study shows that the timing of a TIA is important, and the most effective way to prevent a major attack.” treatment should be initiated within hours of the TIA.”
Rothwell also noted that appropriate changes should be made to clinical guidelines.
The study included two population-based studies (the Oxford Vascular Study and the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project) and two randomized trials (the UK-TIA Aspirin Trial and the European Carotid Surgery Trial).
The American Academy of Neurology is the world’s largest association of neurologists and neurologists with over 38,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest level of patient-centered neurotherapy. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of disorders of the brain and nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.