Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

A healthcare provider can diagnose a TIA using a combination of methods, including:

Medical history. This involves asking you questions about your health history and symptoms.
Physical and neurological exam. These help a provider learn more about your symptoms, especially if you’re still experiencing them at the time of the exam.
Imaging scans. Healthcare providers can get a computed tomography (CT) scan in only a few minutes. It helps them to quickly see if you’re having a brain bleed or not and, if so, provide treatment immediately. An MRI scan helps your care team tell if you had a stroke or a TIA. If there’s visible damage (even though your symptoms are completely gone), it was a stroke, not a TIA.

Other tests may also be possible, depending on your symptoms and if your healthcare provider suspects another health issue is causing or contributing to the TIA and its symptoms. Your healthcare provider can tell you more about the tests they recommend and why those tests could be helpful.

Symptoms

When to see a doctor

Request an appointment

Complications

Blood clots are a dangerous complication of atrial fibrillation (AFib). Blood clots can lead to stroke.

The risk of stroke from AFib increases as you grow older. Other health conditions also may increase the risk of a stroke due to AFib. These conditions include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes.
Heart failure.
Some types of heart valve disease.

Blood thinners are commonly prescribed to prevent blood clots and strokes in people with atrial fibrillation.

Prevention

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent atrial fibrillation (AFib). Here are some basic heart-healthy tips:

Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Don't smoke or use tobacco.
Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Reduce and manage stress.

By Freedmans Health Clinic Staff

Living with atrial fibrillation?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Heart Rhythm Conditions support group on Freedmans Health Clinic Connect, a patient community.