Stroke often has early warning signs

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A study shows that there are often signs that a stroke may be imminent hours or days before it actually happens.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) - or mini-stroke - is an occurrence of neurological symptoms, like numbness, paralysis or double vision, which resolves quickly. It is already known that those who have a TIA have an increased risk of a stroke. Now a team at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England, reveals more of the relationship between TIA and stroke.

They looked at 2,416 patients who had had a stroke. In 549 patients there had been a TIA beforehand. In 17 per cent of this group, it occurred on the day of the stroke, in nine per cent on the day before and in 43 per cent during the previous seven days. The study underlines the importance of starting preventive treatment when someone has a TIA. It may save them having a full-blown stroke.

Source
Neurology 8th March 2005

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